No C 189/10 Official Journal of the European Communities 30. 7. 81 
Opinion on the 
— proposal for a Council Directive amending Directive 71/316/EEC on the approxima­
tion of the laws of the Member States relating to common provisions for both mea­
suring instruments and methods of metrological control 
— proposal for a Council Directive amending Directive 76/764/EEC on the approxima­
tion of the laws of the Member States on clinical mercury-in-glass, maximum-read­
ing thermometers 
— proposal for a Council Directive on the approximation of the laws of the Member 
States relating to tyre pressure gauges for motor vehicles 
— proposal for a Council Directive on the approximation of the laws of the Member 
States relating to instruments designed to determine the content by volume of carbon 
monoxide in the exhaust gases of motor vehicles with spark ignition 
The text referred to the Committee has been published in Official Journal of the Euro­
pean Communities No C 356 of 31 December 1980, pages 11 to 21. 
A. LEGAL BASIS FOR THE OPINION 
On 15 January 1981 the Council referred the abovementioned proposal to the Econo­
mic and Social Committee in accordance with Article 100 of the Treaty establishing 
the European Economic Community. 
B. OPINION OF THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE 
The Economic and Social Committee prepared its opinion on the above matter at its 
188th plenary session held in Brussels on 26 and 27 May 1981. 
The full text of the opinion is as follows: 
THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE, 
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the Euro­
pean Economic Community, and in particular 
Article 100 thereof, 
Having regard to the decision taken by the Council 
of the European Communities on 15 January 1981 
to consult the Committee on the 
— proposal for a Council Directive amending 
Directive 71/316/EEC on the approximation of 
the laws of the Member States relating to com­
mon provisions for both measuring instruments 
and methods of metrological control; — proposal for a Council Directive amending 
Directive 76/764/EEC on the approximation of 
the laws of the Member States on clinical mer­
cury-in-glass, maximum-reading thermometers; 
— proposal for a Council Directive on the approx­
imation of the laws of the Member States relat­
ing to tyre pressure gauges for motor vehicles; 
— proposal for a Council Directive on the approx­
imation of the laws of the Member States relat­
ing to instruments designed to determine the 
content by volume of carbon monoxide in the 
exhaust gases of motor vehicles with spark igni­
tion, 
Having regard to its Bureau's decision on 27 Janu­
ary 1981, instructing the Section for Industry, 
30. 7. 81 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 189/11 
Commerce, Crafts and Services to prepare an opin­
ion and report on this-matter, 
Having regard to the opinion issued by the Section 
for Industry, Commerce, Crafts and Services at its 
meeting on 6 May 1981, 
Having regard to the oral report by the rapporteur, 
Mr Breitenstein, 
Having regard to the discussion at its 188th plenary 
session held on 26 and 27 May 1981 (meeting of 
26 May 1981), 
HAS ADOPTED THE FOLLOWING OPINION 
unanimously: 
1. General comments 
1.1. The Committee approves the proposed Coun­
cil Directives on measuring instruments, subject to 
the following comments. 
1.2. The Commission proposes to broaden the 
scope of the fourth indent of Article 155 of the 
Treaty of Rome in connection with the procedure 
for amendments to framework Directive 71/316/ 
EEC; here the Committee would refer to the state­
ment made by it in connection with the Commis­
sion's proposal on construction products (*), which 
approves such a procedure provided that the follow­
ing conditions are satisfied: 
— effective involvement, at the drafting stage, of 
the socio-economic groups directly and techni­
cally concerned; 
— mandatory consultation of the Economic and 
Social Committee before the Implementing 
Directives are submitted to the Committee for 
Implementing Directives (this is how the Com­
mittee interprets the world 'normally' in the 
draft Directive amending Directive 71/316/ 
EEC (Article 17, paragraph 4 included in 
Article 14)). 
(i) OJNoC247, 1. 10. 1979. 1.3. There are still considerable objections to the 
proposed Directive on carbon monoxide measuring 
instruments for motor vehicles. These objections are 
concerned mainly with the test proposed in 
Annex II for EEC initial verification using gas mix­
tures. This test may be appropriate in type approval 
but it is too expensive for the EEC initial verifica­
tion and for subsequent calibrations at national 
level. Past experience shows that tests with nitrogen 
and carbon monoxide mixtures are adequate. The 
proposed procedure would inevitably entail signifi­
cantly higher charges for the calibration of carbon 
monoxide measuring instruments. Consideration 
should therefore be given to the case for introducing 
a second accuracy category with lower calibration 
procedure standards. As regards a number of other 
factors which influence the results of measurements 
in practice, carbon monoxide measuring instru­
ments tested under a simplified procedure would be 
sufficiently accurate for use in garages. 
2. Specific comments 
Proposal for a Council Directive amending 
Directive 71/316/EEC on measuring instru­
ments and methods of metrological control 
Article 2.2 
2.1. The Committee fears that the above provisions 
might lead to distortions of competition between 
countries with the required apparatus for inspecting 
certain measuring instruments and others without 
such apparatus. Manufacturers in the latter coun­
tries will have to arrange for the inspection to be 
carried out elsewhere, more often than not under 
unfavourable conditions. 
2.2. The Commission is therefore urged to amend 
this provision so that the required inspection facili­
ties are available to all manufacturers — regardless 
of the Member State in which they are based — on 
an equal basis (e.g. in the order in which applica­
tions are received). In addition, the names of Mem­
ber State laboratories entitled to issue type approval 
certificates should be made known by the Commis­
sion, if so requested. 
Proposal for a Council Directive on instruments 
to measure the content by volume of carbon 
monoxide in the exhaust gases of motor vehi­
cles with spark ignition 
No C 189/12 Official Journal of the European Communities 30. 7. 81 
Article 1 
2.3. The Committee would suggest that the Com­
mission reword this Article to make it clear what 
motor vehicles are covered by the Directive. 
Done at Brussels, 26 May 1981. 
The Chairman 
of the Economic and Social Committee 
Tomas ROSEINGRAVE