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►B COUNCIL DIRECTIVE

of 20 December 1979

on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to units of measurement and on the

repeal of Directive 71/354/EEC

(80/181/EEC)

(OJ L 39, 15.2.1980, p. 40)

Amended by:

Official Journal

No page date

►M1 Council Directive 85/1/EEC of 18 December 1984 L 2 11 3.1.1985

►M2 Council Directive 89/617/EEC of 27 November 1989 L 357 28 7.12.1989

►M3 Directive 1999/103/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of

24 January 2000 L 34 17 9.2.2000

Corrected by:

►C1 Corrigendum, OJ L 296, 15.10.1981, p. 52 (80/181/EEC)

►C2 Corrigendum, OJ L 104, 29.4.2000, p. 89 (1999/103/EC)

►C3 Corrigendum, OJ L 311, 12.12.2000, p. 50 (1999/103/EC)
▼B

COUNCIL DIRECTIVE

of 20 December 1979

on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to

units of measurement and on the repeal of Directive 71/354/EEC

(80/181/EEC)

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic

Community, and in particluar Article 100 thereof,

Having regard to Council Directive 71/354/EEC of 18 October 1971 on

the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to units of

measurement (1

), as last amended by Council Directive 76/770/EEC (2),

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission (3

),

Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament (4

),

Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social Committee (5

),

Whereas units of measurement are essential in the use of all measuring

instruments, to express measurements or any indication of quantity;

whereas units of measurement are used in most fields of human activity;

whereas it is necessary to ensure the greatest possible clarity in their use;

whereas it is therefore necessary to make rules for their use within the

Community for economic, public health, public safety or administrative

purposes;

Whereas, however, there exist international conventions or agreements

in the field of international transport which bind the Community or the

Member States; whereas these conventions or agreements have to be

respected;

Whereas the laws which regulate the use of units of measurement in the

Member States differ from one Member State to another and as a result

hinder trade; whereas, in these circumstances, it is necessary to

harmonize laws, regulations and administrative provisions in order to

overcome such obstacles;

Whereas units of measurement are the subject of international

resolutions adopted by the General Conference of Weights and Measures

(CGPM) set up by the Metre Convention signed in Paris on 20 May

1875, to which all the Member States adhere; whereas the ‘International

Systemof Units’(SI) was drawn up as a result of these resolutions;

Whereas the Council on 18 October 1971 adopted Directive 71/354/EEC

on the approximation of the laws of the Member States in order to

eliminate obstacles to trade by adopting the international system of units

at Community level; whereas Directive 71/354/EEC was amended by

the Act of Accession and by Directive 76/770/EEC;

Whereas these Community provisions have not overcome all the

obstacles in this field; whereas Directive 76/770/EEC provides for the

review before 31 December 1979 of the situation regarding units of

measurement, names and symbols listed in Chapter D of the Annex

thereto; whereas it has also proved necessary to review the situation

regarding certain other units of measurement;

Whereas it is necessary, in order to avoid serious difficulties, to provide

for a transitional period during which units of measurement which are

not compatible with the international system can be phased out; whereas

it is nevertheless essential to allow the Member States wishing to do so

to bring into force as quickly as possible, on their territory, the

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(

1

) OJ No L 243, 29. 10. 1971, p. 29.

(

2

) OJ No L 262, 27. 9. 1976, p. 204.

(

3

) OJ No C 81, 28. 3. 1979, p. 6.

(

4

) OJ No C 127, 21. 5. 1979, p. 80.

(

5

) Opinion delivered on 24/25 October 1979 (not yet published in the Official

Journal).
▼B

provisions of Chapter I of the Annex; whereas it is therefore necessary

to limit the duration of this transitional period at Community level

while, at the same time, leaving the Member States free to curtail that

period;

Whereas, during the transitional period, it is essential, particularly in

order to protect the consumer, to maintain a clear position on the use of

units of measurement in trade between the Member States; whereas the

obligation on the Member States to allow use of supplementary

indications on products and equipment imported from other Member

States during this transitional period seems to serve this purpose well;

Whereas the systematic adoption of a solution of this kind for all

measuring instruments, including medical instruments, is however not

necessarily desirable; whereas the Member States should therefore be

able to require that, on their territory, measuring instruments bear

indications of quantity in a single legal unit of measurement;

Whereas this Directive does not affect the continued manufacture of

products already on the market; whereas it does, however, affect the

placing on the market and use of products and equipment bearing

indications of quantity in units of measurement which are no longer

legal units of measurement, when such products and equipment are

necessary to supplement or replace components or parts of such

products, equipment and instruments already on the market; whereas it

is therefore necessary for Member States to authorize the placing on the

market and the use of such products and equipment to complete and

replace components, even when they bear indications of quantity in units

of measurement which are no longer legal units of measurement, so that

products, equipment or instruments already on the market may continue

to be used;

Whereas the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) on 1

March 1974 adopted an international standard on the representation of

SI and other units for use in systems with limited sets of characters;

whereas it is advisable for the Community to adopt the solutions which

have already been approved on a wider international level by ISO

Standard 2955 of 1 March 1974;

Whereas Community provisions relating to units of measurement are to

be found in several Community texts; whereas the question of units of

measurement is so important that it is essential that reference may be

made to a single Community text; whereas this Directive thereby

consolidates all the Community provisions on the subject and repeals

Directive 71/354/EEC,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DIRECTIVE:

Article 1

The legal units of measurement within the meaning of this Directive

which must be used for expressing quantities shall be:

(a) those listed in Chapter I of the Annex;

(b) those listed in Chapter II of the Annex only in those Member States

where they were authorized on 21 April 1973 and until a date to be

fixed by those States;

(c) those listed in Chapter III of the Annex only in those Member States

where they were authorized on 21 April 1973 and until a date to be

fixed by those States. This date may not be later than 31 December

1994;

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(d) those listed in Chapter IV of the Annex only in those Member States

where they were authorized on 21 April 1973 and until a date to be

fixed by those States. This date may not be later than 31 December

1999.

Article 2

(a) The obligations arising under Article 1 relate to measuring

instruments used, measurements made and indications of quantity

expressed in units of measurement, for economic, public health,

public safety or administrative purposes.

(b) This Directive shall not affect the use in the field of air and sea

transport and rail traffic of units, other than those made compulsory

by the Directive, which have been laid down in international

conventions or agreements binding the Community or the Member

States.

Article 3

1. For the purposes of this Directive ‘supplementary indication’

means one or more indications of quantity expressed in units of

measurement not contained in Chapter I of the Annex accompanying an

indication of quantity expressed in a unit contained in that Chapter.

2. The use of supplementary indications shall be authorized until

►M3 31 December 2009 ◄.

3. However, Member States may require that measuring instruments

bear indications of quantity in a single legal unit of measurement.

4. The indication expressed in a unit of measurement listed in

Chapter I shall predominate. In particular, the indications expressed in

units of measurement not listed in Chapter I shall be expressed in

characters no larger than those of the corresponding indication in units

listed in Chapter I.

Article 4

The use of units of measurement which are not or are no longer legal

shall be authorized for:

— products and equipment already on the market and/or in service on

the date on which this Directive is adopted,

— components and parts of products and of equipment necessary to

supplement or replace components or parts of the above products and

equipment.

However, the use of legal units of measurement may be required for the

indicators of measuring instruments.

Article 5

International standard ISO 2955 of ►M2 15 May 1983 ◄, ‘Information processing — Representations of SI and other units for use in

systems with limited character sets’ shall apply in the field covered by

paragraph 1 thereof.

Article 6

Directive 71/354/EEC shall be repealed on 1 October 1981.

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Article 6a

Issues concerning the implementation of this Directive and, in particular,

the matter of supplementary indications shall be further examined, and if

necessary the appropriate measures adopted in accordance with the

procedure referred to in Article 18 of Council Directive 71/316/EEC (1

).

Article 7

(a) Member States shall adopt and publish before 1 July 1981 the laws,

regulations and administrative provisions necessary to comply with

this Directive and shall inform the Commission thereof.

They shall apply these provisions from1 October 1981.

(b) As fromthe date of notification of this Directive, Member States

shall also ensure that the Commission is informed, in sufficient time

to enable it to submit its comments, of any draft laws, regulations or

administrative provisions which they intend to adopt in the field

covered by this Directive.

Article 8

This Directive is addressed to the Member States.

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(

1

) OJ L 202, 6.9.1971, p. 1.

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▼B

ANNEX

CHAPTER I

LEGAL UNITS OF MEASUREMENT REFERREDTO IN ARTICLE 1 (a)

1. SI UNITS AND THEIR DECIMAL MULTIPLES AND SUBMULTIPLES

1.1. SI base units

Quantity

Unit

Name Symbol

Length metre m

Mass kilogramkg

Time second s

Electric current ampere A

Thermodynamic temperature kelvin K

Amount of substance mole mol

Luminous intensity candela cd

Definitions of SI base units:

Unit of length

A metre is the length of the path travelled in a vacuum by light during

1/299 792 458 seconds.

(Seventeenth CGPM (1983), Resolution 1).

Unit of mass

The kilogram is the unit of mass; it is equal to the mass of the

international prototype of the kilogram.

(Third CGPM (1901), page 70 of the conference report).

Unit of time

The second is the duration of 9 192 631 770 periods of the radiation

corresponding to the transition between the two hyperfine levels of the

ground state of the caesium-133 atom.

(Thirteenth CGPM (1967), resolution 1).

Unit of electric current

The ampere is that constant current, which if maintained in two straight

parallel conductors of infinite length, of negligible circular crosssection, and placed one metre apart in vacuum, would produce between

those conductors a force equal to 2 × 10−7 newton per metre of length.

(CIPM (1946), resolution 2, approved by the ninth CGPM (1948)).

Unit of thermodynamic temperature

The kelvin, unit of thermodynamic temperature, is the fraction 1/273·16

of the thermodynamic temperature of the triple point of water.

(Thirteenth CGPM (1967), resolution 4).

Unit of amount of substance

(1) The mole is the amount of substance of a system which contains as

many elementary entities as there are atoms in 0·012 kilogram of

carbon 12.

(2) When the mole is used, the elementary entities must be specified

and may be atoms, molecules, ions, electrons, other particles, or

specified groups of such particles.

(Fourteenth CGPM (1971), resolution 3).

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Unit of luminous intensity

The candela is the luminous intensity, in a given direction, of a source

that emits monochromatic radiation of frequency of 540 × 1012 hertz

and that has a radiant intensity in that direction of (1/683) watt per

steradian.

(Sixteenth CGPM (1979), resolution 3).

1.1.1. Special name and symbol of the SI unit of temperature for

expressing Celsius temperature

Quantity

Unit

Name Symbol

Celsius temperature degree Celsius oC

Celsius temperature ►C3 t ◄ is defined as the difference ►C3 t=T

- T0 ◄ between the two thermodynamic temperatures ►C3 T ◄ and

►C3 T0 ◄ where ►C3 T0 ◄ = 273,15 K. An interval or difference

of temperature may be expressed either in kelvins or in degrees Celsius.

The unit ‘degree Celsius’ is equal to the unit ‘kelvin’.

1.2. Other SI units

1.2.1. SI supplementary units

Quantity

Unit

Name Symbol

Plane angle radian rad

Solid angle steradian sr

(Eleventh CGPM, 1960, resolution 12).

Definitions of SI supplementary units:

Unit of plane angle

The radian is the angle between two radii of a circle which

cut off on the circumference an arc equal in length to the

radius.

(International standard ISO 31 — 1: 1992)

Unit of solidangle

The steradian is the solid angle of a cone which, having its

vertex in the centre of a sphere, cuts off on the surface of

the sphere an area equal to that of a square with sides of

length equal to the radius of the sphere.

(International standard ISO 31 — 1: 1992)

1.2.2. SI derived units

Units derived coherently fromSI base units and SI

supplementary units are given as algebraic expressions in

the formof products of powers of the SI base units and/or

SI supplementary units with a numerical factor equal to 1.

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1.2.3. SI derived units having names and symbols

Quantity

Unit Expression

Name Symbol In other SI

units

In terms of SI base

or supplementary

units

Frequency hertz Hz s−1

Force newton N m· kg · s−2

Pressure, stress pascal Pa N · m−2 m−1 · kg · s−2

Energy, work; quantity

of heat joule J N · mm2 · kg · s−2

Power (1), radiant flux watt W J · s−1 m2 · kg · s−3

Quantity of electricity,

electric charge coulomb C s · A

Electric potential,

potential difference,

electromotive force volt V W · A−1 m2 · kg · s−3 · A−1

Electric resistance ohm Ω V·A−1 m2 · kg · s−3 · A−2

Conductance siemens S A · V−1 m−2 · kg−1 · s3 · A2

Capacitance farad F C · V−1 m−2 · kg−1 · s4 · A2

Magnetic flux weber Wb V · s m2 · kg · s−2 · A−1

Magnetic flux density tesla T Wb · m−2 kg · s−2 · A−1

Inductance henry H Wb · A−1 m2 · kg · s−2 · A−2

Luminous flux lumen lm cd · sr

Illuminance lux lx lm · m−2 m−2 · cd · sr

Activity (of a radionuclide)becquerel Bq s−1

Absorbed dose,

specific energy

imparted, kerma,

absorbed dose index gray Gy J · kg−1 m2 · s−2

Dose equivalent sievert Sv J · kg−1 m2 · s−2

(1) Special names for the unit of power: the name volt−ampere (symbol ‘VA’) when it is

used to express the apparent power of alternating electric current, and var (symbol ‘var’)

when it is used to express reactive electric power. The ‘var’ is not included in CGPM

resolutions.

Units derived fromSI base units or supplementary units

may be expressed in terms of the units listed in Chapter 1.

In particular, SI derived units may be expressed by the

special names and symbols given in the above table; for

example, the SI unit of dynamic viscosity may be expressed

as m−1 · kg · s−1 or N · s · m−2 or Pa · s.

1.3. Prefixes and their symbols used to designate certain decimal

multiples and submultiples

Factor Prefix Symbol

1024 yotta Y

1021 zetta Z

1018 exa E

1015 peta P

1012 tera T

109 giga G

106 mega M

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Factor Prefix Symbol

103 kilo ►C2 k ◄

102 hecto ►C2 h ◄

101 deca da

10-1 deci d

10-2 centi c

10-3 milli m

10-6 micro μ

10-9 nano n

10-12 pico p

10-15 femto f

10-18 atto a

10-21 zepto z

10-24 yocto y

The names and symbols of the decimal multiples and submultiples

of the unit of mass are formed by attaching prefixes to the word

‘gram’ and their symbols to the symbol ‘g’.

Where a derived unit is expressed as a fraction, its decimal

multiples and submultiples may be designated by attaching a

prefix to units in the numerator or the denominator, or in both

these parts.

Compound prefixes, that is to say prefixes formed by the

juxtaposition of several of the above prefixes, may not be used.

1.4. Special authorized names and symbols of decimal multiples

and submultiples of SI units

Quantity

Unit

Name Symbol Value

Volume litre 1 or L (1) 1 l = 1 dm3 = 10−3 m3

Mass tonne t 1 t = 1 Mg = 103 kg

Pressure, stress bar bar (2

) 1 bar = 105 Pa

(1) The two symbols ‘I’and ‘L’ may be used for the litre unit.

(Sixteenth CGPM (1979), resolution 6).

(2

) Unit listed in the International Bureau of Weights and Measures booklet as among the units to be

permitted temporarily.

Note: The prefixes and their symbols listed in 1.3 may be used in

conjunction with the units and symbols contained in Table

1.4.

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2. UNITS WHICH ARE DEFINED ON THE BASIS OF SI UNITS BUT

ARE NOT DECIMAL MULTIPLES OR SUBMULTIPLES THEREOF

Quantity

Unit

Name Symbol Value

Plane angle revolution* (1) (a) 1 revolution = 2 π rad

grade* or gon* gon* 1 gon 1⁄4 π

200 rad

degree o 1o 1⁄4 π

180

rad

minute of angle ′ 10 1⁄4 π

10 800 rad

second of angle ′′ 100 1⁄4 π

648 000 rad

Time minute min 1 min = 60 s

hour h 1 h = 3 600 s

day d 1 d = 86 400 s

(1) The character (*) after a unit name or symbol indicates that it does not appear in the lists drawn up by

the CGPM, CIPM o BIPM. This applies to the whole of this Annex.

(a

) No international symbol exists.

Note: The prefixes listed in 1.3 may only be used in conjunction with

the names ‘grade’ or ‘gon’ and the symbol ‘gon’.

3. UNITS USED WITH THE SI, WHOSE VALUES IN SI ARE

OBTAINED EXPERIMENTALLY

Quantity

Unit

Name Symbol Definition

Energy Electronvolt eV The electron volt is the

kinetic energy acquired by

an electron in passing

through a potential difference of 1 volt in vaccum

Mass Unified atomic mass unit u The unified atomic mass

units is equal to 1/12 of

the mass of an atom of the

nuclide 12C.

Note: The prefixes and their symbols listed in 1.3 may be used in

conjunction with these two units and with their symbols.

4. UNITS AND NAMES OF UNITS PERMITTED IN SPECIALIZED

FIELDS ONLY

Quantity

Unit

Name Symbol Value

Vergency of optical

systems dioptre* 1 dioptre = 1 m−1

Mass of precious stones metric carat 1 metric carat = 2 × 10−4kg

Area of farmland and

building land are a 1 a = 102 m2

Mass per unit length of

textile yarns and threads tex* tex* 1 tex = 10−6 kg · m−1

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Quantity

Unit

Name Symbol Value

Blood pressure and pressure of other body fluidsMillimetre of

mercury mm Hg(*) 1 mm Hg = 133,322 Pa

Effective cross-sectional

area Barn b 1 b = 10−28 m2

Note: ►M1 The prefixes and their symbols listed in 1.3 may be used

in conjunction with the above units and symbols, with the

exception of the millimetre of mercury and its symbol. The

multiple of 102

a is, however, called a ‘hectare’. ◄

5. COMPOUND UNITS

Combinations of the units listed in Chapter I form compound units.

CHAPTER II

LEGAL UNITS OF MEASUREMENT REFERREDTO IN ARTICLE 1 (b),

PERMITTEDFOR SPECIFIC USES ONLY

Field of application

Unit

Name Approximate value Symbol

Road traffic signs, distance and

speed measurement

mile 1 mile = 1 609 m mile

yard 1 yd = 0,9144 myd

foot 1 ft = 0,3048 mft

inch 1 in = 2,54 × 10−2min

Dispense of draught beer and

cider; milk in returnable

containers

pint 1 pt = 0,5683 × 10−3m3 pt

Land registration acre 1 ac = 4 047 m2 ac

Transaction in precious metals troy ounce 1 oz tr = 31,10 × 10−3 kg oz tr

Until the date to be fixed under Article 1 (b), the units listed in this Chapter

may be combined with each other or whith those in Chapter I to form

compound units.

CHAPTER III

LEGAL UNITS OF MEASUREMENT REFERREDTO IN ARTICLE 1 (c)

QUANTITIES, NAMES OF UNITS, SYMBOLS AND APPROXIMATE

VALUES

Length

inch 1 in = 2·54 × 10−2 m

foot 1 ft = 0·3048 m

mile 1 mile = 1 609 m

yard 1 yard = 0·9144 m

Area

square foot 1 sq ft = 0·929 × 10-1 m2

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acre 1 ac = 4 047 m2

square yard 1 sq yd = 0·8361 m2

Volume

fluid ounce 1 fl oz = 28·41 × 10−6 m3

gill 1 gill = 0·1421 × 10−3 m3

pint 1 pt = 0·5683 × 10−3 m3

quart 1 qt = 1·137 × 10−3 m3

gallon 1 gal = 4·546 × 10−3 m3

Mass

ounce (avoirdupois) 1 oz = 28·35 × 10−3 kg

troy ounce 1 oz tr = 31·10 × 10−3 kg

pound 1 lb = 0·4536 kg

Energy

therm1 therm= 105·506 × 106 J

Until the date to be fixed under Article 1 (c), the units listed in Chapter III may

be combined with each other or with those in Chapter I to form compound

units.

CHAPTER IV

LEGAL UNITS OF MEASUREMENT REFERREDTO IN ARTICLE I (d),

PERMITTEDIN SPECIALIZEDFIELDS ONLY

Field of application

Unit

Name Approximate value Symbol

Marine navigation fathom1 fm= 1,829 mfm

Beer, cider, waters, lemonades

and fruit juices in returnable

containers

pint 1 pt = 0,5683 × 10−3m3 pt

fluid ounce 1 fl oz = 28,41 × 10−6m3 fl. oz

Spirit drinks gill 1 gill = 0,142 × 10−3m3 gill

Goods sold loose in bulk ounce

(avoir dupois)

1 oz = 28,35 × 10−3 kg oz

pound 1 lb = 0,4536 kg lb

Gas supply therm1 therm= 105,506 × 106

J therm

Until the date to be fixed under Article 1 (d), the units listed in this Chapter

may be combined with each other or with those in Chapter I to form

compound units.

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