No C 101/6 Official  Journal  of the European  Communities 23. 11.73 
CONSULTATION  OF  THE  ECONOMIC  AND  SOCIAL  COMMITTEE 
on a proposal  for a Council  Directive  on the approximation  of the laws  of the Member 
States  relating  to electrical  energy  meters 
A. REQUEST  FOR  AN  OPINION 
At its 235th  meeting  held  on 23 March  1973,  the Council  decided  in accordance  with  the 
provisions  of the  second  subparagraph  of Article  100  of the  Treaty  establishing  the 
European  Economic  Community  to consult  the Economic  and  Social  Committee  on the 
above  proposal  for a Directive. 
The request  for an Opinion  was  sent  by the President  of the Council  to the Chairman 
of the Economic  and  Social  Committee  on 23 March  1973. 
B. TEXT  WHICH  WAS  THE  SUBJECT  OF  THE  CONSULTATION 
The text  which  was  the subject  of the consultation  has  not  yet been  published  in the 
Official  Journal  of the European  Communities. 
C. OPINION  OF  THE  ECONOMIC  AND  SOCIAL  COMMITTEE 
At its 113th  Plenary  Session  held  in Brussels,  the Committee  adopted  its Opinion  on the 
text referred  to above  by a unanimous  vote  of all the members  present  or represented. 
The text  of the Opinion  is as follows: 
THE  ECONOMIC  AND  SOCIAL  COMMITTEE, 
Having  regard  to the  request  from  the President  of 
the Council  of the  European  Communities  on 23 
March  1973  for an Opinion  on the  'proposal  for a 
Council  Directive  on the  approximation  of the  laws 
of the  Member  States  relating  to electrical  energy 
meters'; 
Having  regard  to  Article  100  of  the  Treaty 
establishing  the European  Economic  Community; 
Having  regard  to the  Decision  of its Bureau  on 27 
March  1973,  to entrust  the  Section  for  Industry, 
Commerce,  Crafts  and  Services  with  the preparation 
of an Opinion  and  a report  on the matter; 
Having  regard  to the General  Programme  of 28 May 
1969  to eliminate  technical  barriers  to trade  in 
industrial  products  resulting  from  disparities  between 
the laws,  regulations  and  administrative  provisions  of 
the Member  States; Having  regard  to the  Opinion  delivered  by  the 
Section  for Industry,  Commerce,  Crafts  and  Services 
at its meeting  on 5 September  1973; 
Having  regard  to the  report  presented  by  Mr 
Lecuyer; 
Having  regard  to the  deliberations  at its 113th 
Plenary  Session  on 26 and  27 September,  session  on 
26 September  1973, 
HAS  ADOPTED  THE  FOLLOWING  OPINION: 
The Economic  and  Social  Committee  approves  the 
proposed  Directive  subject  to the  following  general 
and specific  comments. 
I. General  Comments 
1. Checking  of meters  in service 
The Committee  draws  attention  to the  problems 
posed  by the checking  of electrical  energy  meters  in 
23.11.  73 Official  Journal  of the European  Communities No C 101/7 
service.  It suggests  that  a group  of experts  should 
study  the technical  problems  of this  type  of checking. 
The results  of the  work  of this  group  would  be 
examined  by  the  Committee  for  Adjustment  to 
Technical  Progress  which  was  provided  for  by the 
Council  Directive  of 26 July  1971  on measuring 
instruments  and  metrological  control. 
2. Conditions  of the acceptance  tests 
The Committee  notes  that  the solution  proposed  by 
the Commission  does  not  take  account  of the 
possibility  of checking  on the  basis  of statistical 
sampling.  The  proposed  Directive  ought  to provide 
for the  possibility  of  using  this  procedure 
alternatively  with  that  of checking  each  meter.  It 
would  be up to the  Committee  for  Adjustment  to 
Technical  Progress  to specify  the  procedures  and 
conditions  governing  recourse  to checking  on the 
basis  of statistical  sampling. 
3. Type  of harmonization  proposed 
The Committee  recalls  that  in opinions  it has 
frequently  spoken  out  in favour  of opting  for total 
harmonization.  It considers  that  for  this  type  of 
equipment,  bearing  in mind  the  structure  of the 
relevant  industry  in the  Community,  the  time  limit 
for the changeover  to total  harmonization  ought  to 
be as short  as possible. 
II. Specific  Comments 
Recitals 
The Committee  considers  that  in order  to take  into 
account  the  suggestions  made  with  regard  to the role of the  Committee  for  adjustment  to Technical 
Progress,  a supplementary  recital,  recalling  the  role 
laid down  for  this  Committee  by  the  Council 
Directive  of 26  July  1971,  ought  to be inserted 
between  the present  second  and  third  recitals. 
Article  2 
In order  to take  account  of the  comments  made 
above  concerning  the conditions  of acceptance  tests  it 
is proposed  to add  the following  at the end  of Article 
2: 
'This  check  may  be carried  out  on each  meter  or 
be carried  put  on meters  constituting  a statistical 
sample  when  the  Committee  for  Adjustment  to 
Technical  Progress  has  stated  the  methods  and 
conditions  of use.' 
Article  3 
Article  3 ought  to be amplified.  It ought  to provide 
for the setting  up of a group  of experts  responsible 
for studying  checking  techniques  for meters  in service 
and paving  the way  for  an approximation  of these 
techniques.  It would  then  be up to the Committee  for 
Adjustment  to Technical  Progress  to take  any 
appropriate  action  in the light,  in particular,  of the 
technical  bases  of the primary  examination. 
Annex,  point  7.1.2 
This  point,  like  the  whole  Annex,  ought  to be 
amended  in order  to bring  it into  line  with  Article  2 
amplified  as suggested  by the Committee,  namely,  to 
allow  checking  by statistical  sampling  also. 
Done  at Brussels,  26 September  1973. 
The Chairman 
of the Economic  and  Social  Committee 
Alfons  LAPPAS