EN    EN  
 EUROPEAN  
COMMISSION 
Brussels, XXX   
[…](2014) XXX  draft 
  
COMMISSION DELEGATED DIRECTIVE ../…/EU 
of XXX  
amending Annex III to Directive 2014/32/EU, as  regards the flow ra te change of water 
meters 
(Text with EEA relevance) 
  
EN 2   EN EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM  
1. CONTEXT  OF THE  DELEGATED  ACT 
Directive 2014/32/EU sets out the requirements that certain measuring instruments have to 
satisfy with a view to their being placed on  the market and/or put to use for specific 
measuring tasks prescribed by the Member States. This Directive applies, among others, to water meters intended for the measurement of volumes of clean, cold or heated water in 
residential, commercial and lig ht industrial use (Annex III). The first of the specific 
requirements for water meters (point 1 in An nex III to Directive 2014/32/EU on measuring 
instruments) contains a rated operating condi tion for the flow rate change (Q3/Q1 ≥ 10). 
Article 47 (b) of Directive 2014/32/EU empower s the Commission to adopt delegated acts 
concerning the amendment of the instrument-s pecific Annexes in relation to the rated 
operating conditions.  
On 31 October 2011 an update of the standard EN 45154 entered into force which contains a 
higher flow rate value (Q3/Q1 ≥ 40). The standard is more exigent than the specific 
requirement and it has been requ ested to adapt the requirement in  the Directive to be equal to 
the standard. 
2. CONSULTATIONS
 PRIOR  TO THE  ADOPTION  OF THE  ACT 
The change of the flow rate for water meters from Q3/Q1 ≥ 10 to Q3/Q1 ≥ 40 due to the 
revision of harmonised standard EN 45154 was first discussed at the working group on 
measuring instruments at its meeting on 11- 12 June 2013. Member States authorities and 
stakeholders were present in the group and agreed that th is change was appropriate.  
A new Directive replacing Dir ective 2004/22/EC on measuring in struments, the applicable 
legal instrument at the time, was about to be adopted and it was considered more appropriate 
to introduce this modification in the revised Directive. Following the entry into force of Directive 2014/32/EU on measuring instruments, this issue was presented and discussed again 
at the working group on measuring instrume nts on 12 June 2014. Member States and 
stakeholders expressed their full support to the proposed change. The European Parliament 
and Council were also inform ed of these discussions. 
 3. LEGAL
 ELEMENTS  OF THE  DELEGATED  ACT 
The proposed Commission delegated Directive w ould amend point 1 of Annex III to Directive 
2014/32/EU on measuring instruments, and repl ace the rated operated condition for the flow 
rate change from Q3/Q1 ≥ 10 to Q3/Q1 ≥ 40.  
Directive 2014/32/EU on measuring instrument s was adopted on 26 February 2014 and needs 
to be transposed by Member States by 19 Ap ril 2016. The national provisions implementing 
that Directive will start applying on 20 April 2016. 
It is proposed that this Commission delegated Di rective is also transposed by Member States 
by the same date, 19 April 2016, and that the na tional provisions start applying on 20 April 
2016 as well.  
EN 3   EN COMMISSION DELEGATED DIRECTIVE ../…/EU 
of XXX  
amending Annex III to Directive 2014/32/EU, as regards the flow rate change of water 
meters 
(Text with EEA relevance) 
THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION, 
Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, Having regard to Directive 2014/32/EU of the Eu ropean Parliament and of the Council of 26 
February 2014 on the harmonisation of the laws of the Member States relating to the making 
available on the market of measuring instruments (recast)
1, and in particular Article 47 (b) 
thereof, 
Whereas: (1) Directive 2014/32/EU sets out the requireme nts that certain measuring instruments 
have to satisfy with a view to their being placed on the ma rket and/or put to use for 
specific measuring tasks prescribed by the Member States. 
(2) The first of the specific requirements for wa ter meters (Requirement 1) included in 
Annex III to Directive 2014/32/EU refers to  the rated operating condition for the flow 
rate change Q3/Q1 ≥ 10.  
(3) On 31 October 2011 an update of the standard  EN 45154 which included the flow rate 
value Q
3/Q1 ≥ 40 entered into force. The revised EN 45154 standard reflects the 
international standard. It is more exigent in  relation to the flow rate change than the 
specific requirements set out in Annex III to Directive 2014/32/EU and results in more 
precise measurements.  
(4) Prior to the introduction of the flow rate change Q 3/Q1 ≥ 10 by means of Directive 
2004/22/EC on measuring instruments, the inte rnational OIML sta ndard which already 
contained a requirement for the flow rate change of Q 3/Q1 ≥ 40 was applied in all 
Member States. As a result of the transitiona l provisions provided for in Article 50 (2) 
of Directive 2014/32/EU, most of the water meters currently placed on the market are 
already in conformity w ith the requirement of Q 3/Q1 ≥ 40. 
(5) Water meters with the flow rate change Q 3/Q1 ≥ 10 may be significan tly cheaper than 
those meeting the requirements of the standard EN 45154 (Q 3/Q1 ≥ 40). Directive 
2014/32/EU, in point 10 of Anne x III thereto, gives discre tion to the utility or the 
person legally designated for installing the water meter to determine, inter alia, what level of flow rate change is appropriate for the accurate measurement of consumption 
that is foreseen or foreseeable
2. Therefore, water meters not conforming to the 
standard EN 45154 for flow rate change but in line with the requirements set out in 
Annex III to Directive 2014/32/EU may be in stalled. This may, however, increase the 
                                                 
1 OJ L 96, 29 March 2014, p. 149. 
2  See point 10 of Annex III.  
EN 4   EN possibility of customers having errors in  bills resulting from the less precise 
measurement of the meter.  
(6) The flow rate change of Q 3/Q1 ≥ 40 represents the state of the art embodied in the 
current international standard  and manufacturing practice,  as well as the minimum 
quality available at present on the Uni on market. It provides for more precise 
measurements thereby ensuring a higher level of protection of consumers. Given that 
the flow rate change of Q 3/Q1 ≥ 40 has for many years been  and still is the minimum 
being installed by the market, compliance doe s not involve additional costs for users. 
(7) Directive 2014/32/EU should be amended accordingly,  
 
HAS ADOPTED THIS DIRECTIVE: 
Article 1 
In Annex III to Directive 2014/32/EU, poi nt 1 is replaced by the following: 
"1.  The flow rate range of the water. 
The values for the flow rate range shall fulfil the following conditions: Q
3/Q1 ≥ 40 
Q2/Q1 = 1,6 
Q4/Q3 = 1,25". 
Article 2 
1. Member States shall adopt and publish, by 19 April 2016 at the latest, the laws, 
regulations and administrative provisions necessary to comply with this Directive. 
They shall forthwith communicate to the Co mmission the text of those provisions. 
They shall apply those provisions from 20 April 2016. When Member States adopt those provisions,  they shall contain a reference to this 
Directive or be accompanied by such a reference on the occasion of their official 
publication. Member States shall determin e how such reference is to be made. 
2. Member States shall communicate to the Commission the text of the main provisions 
of national law which they adopt in the field covered by this Directive. 
Article 3 
This Directive shall enter into force on the tw entieth day following that of its publication in 
the Official Journal of  the European Union . 
Article 4 
This Directive is addressed to the Member States.  
EN 5   EN Done at Brussels, 
 For the Commission 
 The President