1971L0348 — EN — 01.05.2004 — 005.001 — 1
This document is meant purely as a documentation tool and the institutions do not assume any liability for its contents
►B COUNCILDIRECTIVE
of12October1971
ontheapproximationofthelawsoftheMemberStatesrelatingtoancillaryequipmentformeters
forliquidsotherthanwater
(71/348/EEC)
(OJ L 239, 25.10.1971, p. 9)
Amended by:
Official Journal
No page date
►A1Act of Accession of Denmark, Ireland and the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Northern IrelandL 73 14 27.3.1972
(adapted by Council Decision of 1 January 1973) L 2 1 1.1.1973
►A2Act of Accessionof Greece L 291 17 19.11.1979
►A3Act of Accessionof Spainan d Portugal L 302 23 15.11.1985
►A4Act of Accession of Austria, Sweden and Finland C241 21 29.8.1994
(adapted by Council Decision 95/1/EC, Euratom, ECSC) L 1 1 1.1.1995
►A5Act concerning the conditions of accession of the Czech Republic, the
Republic of Estonia, the Republic of Cyprus, the Republic of Latvia,the Republic of Lithuania, the Republic of Hungary, the Republic ofMalta, the Republic of Poland, the Republic of Slovenia and the SlovakRepublic and the adjustments to the Treaties on which the EuropeanUnion is foundedL 236 33 23.9.2003
▼B
COUNCILDIRECTIVE
of12October 1971
on the approximationof the lawsofthe Member States relating to
ancillary equipmentformetersforliquidsotherthanwater
(71/348/EEC)
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic
Community, and in particular Article 100 thereof;
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission;
Having regard to the Opinion of the European Parliament (1);
Having regard to the Opinion of the Economic and Social
Committee (2);
Whereas in the Member States the construction and methods of control
of ancillary equipment for liquid meters are subject to mandatoryprovisions which differ from one Member State to another and conse-
quently hinder trade in such instruments; whereas it is therefore
necessary to approximate these provisions;
Whereas the Council Directive of 26 July 1971 (
3) onthe approxima-
tion of the laws of the Member States relating to measuringinstruments and methods of metrological control laid down the EECpattern approval and EEC initial verification procedures for measuring
instruments; whereas, in accordance with that Directive, the technical
requirements for the design and functioning of ancillary equipment formeters for liquids other thanwater should be laid down ;
Whereas the Council Directive of 26 July 1971 (
4) onthe approxima-
tionof the laws of the Member States relatin g to meters for liquidsother than water has already laid down the technical requirements for
design and functioning which such meters must satisfy; whereas ancil-
lary equipment either may, or must, form an integral part of certainmeters for liquids other thanwater;
HAS ADOPTED THIS DIRECTIVE:
Article 1
This Directive applies to the ancillary equipment for volumetric meters
for liquids other than water which is specified in the Annex.
Article 2
Ancillary equipment for volumetric meters which may bear the EEC
marks and symbols are described in the Annex. They shall be subject
to EEC patternapproval. They shall be submitted to EEC in itial verifi-cationat the same time as the meters with which they are associated.
Article 3
1. Member States shall put into force the laws, regulations and
administrative provisions needed in order to comply with this Directivewithin eighteen months of its notification and shall forthwith inform
the Commissionthereof.
2. Member States shall ensure that the texts of the main provisions
of national law which they adopt in the field governed by this Directiveare communicated to the Commission.1971L0348 — EN — 01.05.2004 — 005.001 — 2
(1) OJ No C 100, 12.10.1971, p. 4.
(2) OJ No C 93, 21.9.1971, p. 27.
(3) OJ No L 202, 6.9.1971, p. 1.
(4) OJ No L 202, 6.9.1971, p. 32.
▼B
Article 4
This Directive is addressed to the Member States.1971L0348 — EN — 01.05.2004 — 005.001 — 3
▼B
ANNEX
CHAPTER I
ZEROISINGMECHANISMFORVOLUMEINDICATORS
1.1. A zeroising mechanism is an arrangement which returns the indicator to
zero either by a manual operation or by an automatic system.
1.2. The zeroising mechanism must not affect the result of a measurement.1.3. When the zeroising operation is begun, it must be impossible to indicate
a new measured quantity until the zeroising operation has been
completed.
1.4. The requirements of items 1.2 and 1.3 are not mandatory:
1.4.1. for indicators the dial of which bears the legend ‘Direct sale to
the public is forbidden’ or another equivalent restriction of use;
1.4.2. for pointer-type indicators mounted on meters whose maximum
rate of flow does not exceed 1200 litres per hour; if the meters
are intended for trading purposes it must be impossible to
increase the amount indicated manually.
1.5. On indicators having a continuous movement, after each zeroising
operation the permissible difference with respect to zero must be not
greater than one half of the maximum permissible error on the minimum
delivery marked on the dial of the indicating mechanism, but must not
exceed one-fifth of the value of the scale interval.
On indicators having a discontinuous movement, the indication must be
zero exactly.
CHAPTER II
TOTALISINGVOLUMECOUNTERS
2.1. An indicator with a zeroising mechanism may be fitted with one or
more counters which, after totalising, show the different volumes
recorded insuccessionby the in dicator.
2.2. Counters must not incorporate a zeroising mechanism.
2.3. Counters may only be of the straight line type.
2.4. Counters may be so positioned that they are concealed.2.5. The unit in which the total volume is expressed (or its symbol) must be
indicated and it must comply with the requirements of the Directive on
meters for liquids other thanwater.
2.6. The scale interval of the first element of each counter must be in the
form 1 × 10
n,2×1 0nor 5 × 10nauthorised volumetric units,nbeing a
whole positive or negative number, or zero. It must be equal to or
greater than the scale interval of the first element on the indicator with
zeroising mechanism.
2.7. If the indications on the counters and those of the indicator with
zeroising mechanism can be seen simultaneously, the figures on the
counters must have dimensions not greater than half the corresponding
dimensions of the figures on the indicator with zeroising mechanism.
CHAPTER III
MULTIPLEVOLUMEINDICATINGMECHANISMS (1)
3.1. The indicating mechanism may have several dials. Furthermore, one or
more simultaneous repeater indicating mechanisms may be linked with
it.
3.2. The scale intervals on the various indicators may have different values
but the minimum delivery must be the same throughout and must be
established as a function of the scale interval which results in the largest
value for this delivery.
3.3. The requirements of this Directive and those of the Directive on meters
for liquids other than water apply to each indicator and to each dial.1971L0348 — EN — 01.05.2004 — 005.001 — 4
(1) Remote indication by non-mechanical means will be dealt with in a later directive.
▼B
3.4. The indications on the different dials of the indicator or indicators must
not differ by more than the maximum permissible error on the minimum
delivery marked onthe dial or dials.
CHAPTER IV
PRICECOMPUTINGMECHANISMS
4.1. Straight-line volume indicators having a zeroising mechanism may be
supplemented by a straight-line computed-price indicator having a
zeroising mechanism, whose unit price is the price for the unit of
volume used to indicate the volume measured.
4.2. The unit price must be adjustable. The unit price selected must be
displayed.
4.3. The mechanisms for selecting and displaying the unit price must be
connected to the price indicator in such a way that the price corre-
sponding to a measurement must always be equal to the product of the
selected and displayed unit price and the indicated volume.
4.4. The requirements relating to volume indicators given in the Directive on
meters for liquids other thanwater, as well as the provision s of Chapters
I, II and III of this Annex, must be applied, by analogy to computed-
price indicators, with the exception of item 1.5 relating to the zeroising
mechanism.
4.5. The monetary unit employed, or its symbol, must appear on the dial of
the computed-price indicator.
4.6. The dimensions of the figures on the computed-price indicator must not
exceed those of the figures onthe volume in dicator.
4.7. The zeroising mechanisms for the price indicator and for the volume
indicator must be so designed that the operation of the mechanism on
either of the two indicators automatically returns the other indicator to
zero.
4.8.1. The computed price of a quantity equal to the maximum permissible
error on the minimum delivery marked on the dial of the indicating
mechanism must be not less than one-fifth of the value of the scale
interval, but not less than the price corresponding to an interval of two
millimetres on the scale of the first element on the price indicator,
where the movement of this element is continuous. However, this
interval of one-fifth of the value or of two millimetres need not corre-
spond to a value of less than one of the following monetary values,
depending on the particular country where the device is being used:
10 Belgianor Luxembourg cen times
1 French centime1 Dutch cent
1 lira
1 pfennig
10λεπτά
0.1 Irish penny
0.1 penny sterling
1 Danish øre
1 Norwegianøre
1 peseta
10 centavos
10 Groschen(Austria)
10 penniä/10 penni(Finland)10 öre (Sweden)
10 halé řů
1 Estonian sent1971L0348 — EN — 01.05.2004 — 005.001 — 5
▼A2
▼A1
▼A3
▼A4
▼A5
▼A5
1σεντ Κύπρου
1 sant īms
1 Lithuanian centas
1 Hungarian forint1 Maltese ċenteżmu
1 grosz
1 stotin
10 halierov
4.8.2. The price of a quantity equal to the maximum permissible error on the
minimum delivery marked on the dial of the indicating mechanism must
be equal to at least two intervals on the scale where movement of the
first element on the price indicator is discontinuous.
However, the scale interval need not be less than one of the monetary
values specified initem 4.8.1.
4.9. The difference, under normal working conditions, between the price
indicated and the price computed on the basis of the unit price and of
the indicated quantity, must not exceed the price of the quantity equal
to the maximum permissible error onthe min imum delivery marked on
the dial of the indicating mechanism.
However, this difference need not be less than twice one of the mone-
tary values specified initem 4.8.1.
4.10. On indicators having a continuous movement, after each return to zero,
the permissible difference with respect to zero must be not greater than
one half the price of the quantity equal to the maximum permissible
error on the minimum delivery marked on the dial of the indicating
mechanism, but must not exceed one-fifth of the value of the scale
interval.
However, this difference need not be less than one of the monetary
values specified initem 4.8.1.
On indicators having a discontinuous movement, the indication must be
zero exactly.
CHAPTER V
PRINTINGMECHANISMS
5.1. A numerical quantity-printing mechanism may be connected to the indi-
cator of a meter.
5.2. The value of the printed scale interval must be in the form 1 × 10
n,
2×1 0nor 5 × 10nauthorised volumetric units,nbeing a whole positive
or negative number, or zero.
5.3. The value of the printed scale interval must not be greater than the
maximum permissible error onthe min imum delivery marked onthe
dial of the indicating mechanism.
5.4. The value of the printed scale interval must be marked on the printing
mechanism.
5.5. The printed quantity must be expressed in one of the authorised volu-
metric units.
The figures, the unit used or its symbol and any decimal point, where
necessary, must be printed by the mechanism on the ticket.
5.6. The printing mechanism may print information regarding the delivery
such as: serial number, date, place of measurement, nature of the liquid.
5.7. The mechanism may be designed in such a way that the printing may be
repeated. In this case, the printed records must fully agree and carry the
same serial number.
5.8. If the quantity is determined by the difference between two printed
values, one of which may be expressed as zero, it must not be possible
for the ticket to be withdrawnfrom the mechan ism while the meter is
measuring a quantity.1971L0348 — EN — 01.05.2004 — 005.001 — 6
▼B
▼B
5.9. With the exception of the case referred to in item 5.8, the printing
mechanism must have a zeroising mechanism combined with that of
the indicator.
5.10. The difference between the quantity indicated and the quantity printed
must not exceed the value of one printed scale interval.
5.11. The printing mechanism may print, in addition to the measured quantity,
either the price for that quantity or this price and the unit price. It may
also print the price to be paid only, where the printing mechanism is
connected to an indicating mechanism for quantities and computed
prices, inthe case of direct sale to the public.
The figures, the monetary unit employed or its symbol and any decimal
point, where necessary must be printed by the mechanism on the ticket.
The printed figures for prices must not have dimensions greater than
those of the printed figures for the measured quantity.
5.12. The value of the printed-price scale interval must be in the form 1 × 10n,
2×1 0nor 5 × 10nmonetary units,nbeing a whole positive or negative
number, or zero.
This value must not exceed the price of the quantity equal to the
maximum permissible error onthe min imum delivery marked onthe
dial of the indicating mechanism.
However, the value of this scale interval need not be less than one of the
monetary values specified in item 4.8.1.
5.13.1. If the meter is fitted with a price indicator the difference between the
price indicated and the printed price must not exceed the value of the
printed scale interval.
5.13.2. If the meter is not fitted with a price indicator, the difference between
the printed price and the price calculated from the indicated quantity and
the unit price must satisfy the conditions laid down in item 4.9.
CHAPTER VI
PRE-SETTINGMECHANISMS (1)
6.1. Meters may be fitted with pre-setting mechanisms.
Pre-setting mechanisms are devices which permit the selection of the
quantity to be measured and which automatically stop the flow of liquid
whenthe selected quan tity has beenmeasured.
6.2. The selected quantity is displayed by means of a device with a scale and
datum line or on a numerical device.
6.3. Where pre-setting can be carried out by means of several independent
controls, the value of the scale interval for one control must equal the
pre-setting range of the control for the next smallest decade.
6.4. Pre-setting mechanisms may be so arranged that repetition of the
selected quantity does not require a new setting of the controls.
6.5. Where the displayed figures of the pre-setting mechanisms are separate
from the indicator figures, and if it is possible to see them simulta-
neously, the former must have dimensions not greater than three-
quarters of the corresponding dimensions of the latter.
6.6. The indication of the selected quantity may, during measurement, either
remainun altered or returnprogressively to zero.
6.7. The difference found under normal working conditions between the
selected quantity and the quantity indicated at the end of the measuring
operation must not exceed one half of the maximum permissible error
onthe min imum delivery.
6.8. The selected quantities and the quantities indicated by the indicator must
be expressed inthe same un it. The latter (or its symbol) must be marked
on the pre-setting mechanism.
6.9. The value of the smallest scale interval of the pre-setting mechanism
must not be less than the value of the scale interval on the first element
of the indicator.
6.10. Pre-setting mechanisms may incorporate a device for the rapid stopping
of the flow of liquid where necessary.1971L0348 — EN — 01.05.2004 — 005.001 — 7
(1) Self-service prepayment equipment will be covered by a later directive.
▼B
6.11. Where a pre-setting mechanism incorporates a device for regulating the
reduction of the rate of flow at the end of the measurement, a sealing
device must be provided, if the latter is necessary to prevent any altera-
tionof the settin g adopted.
6.12. The requirements in items 6.7 and 6.11 do not apply if a printing
mechanism (Chapter V) is associated with the meter to permit the
issuing of a printed ticket or if, in the case of direct sales to the public,
the pre-setting mechanism is concealed.
6.13. Meters with price indicators may also be fitted with a price pre-setting
mechanism. In this case, the flow of liquid is stopped at the moment
where the amount delivered corresponds to the selected price. The
requirements in items 6.1 to 6.12 apply.
CHAPTER VII
SEALING
7.1. Sealing devices must be provided to prevent the removal of ancillary
equipment and access to components which permit adjustment of the
calibration.1971L0348 — EN — 01.05.2004 — 005.001 — 8