No C 269/44 Official  Journal  of the European  Communities 13. 11. 78 
Opinion  on the proposal  for a Council  Directive  on the approximation  of the laws  of the 
Member  States  relating  to hot-water  meters 
The text  referred  to the Committee  has been  published  in Official  Journal  of the European 
Communities  No  C 283  of 24 November  1977,  page  6. 
A. LEGAL  BASIS  FOR  THE  OPINION 
On 8 November  1977,  the Council  referred  the abovementioned  proposal  to the Economic  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 159th 
plenary  session,  held  in Brussels  on 31 May  and  1 June  1978. 
The full text  of the opinion  is as follows: 
THE  ECONOMIC  AND  SOCIAL  COMMITTEE, 
Having  regard  to the Treaty  establishing  the European 
Economic  Community,  and  in particular  Article  100 
thereof, 
Having  regard  to the request  made  by the Council  of the 
European  Communities  on 9 November  1977  for an 
opinion, 
Having  regard  to the decision  taken  by the Committee's 
Bureau  on 22 November  1977,  instructing  the Section  for 
Industry,  Commerce,  Crafts  and Services  to draw  up an 
opinion  and  a report  on the matter, 
Having  regard  to the opinion  issued  by the Section  for 
Industry,  Commerce,  Crafts  and Services  at its meeting  on 
10 May  1978, 
Having  regard  to the report  submitted  by the rapporteur, 
Mr Marvier, 
Having  regard  to the discussions  at its 159th  plenary 
session,  held  on 31 May  and  1 June  1978  (meeting  of 31 
May  1978), 
HAS  ADOPTED  THE  FOLLOWING  OPINION 
by a unanimous  vote: 
The Committee  approves  the Commission's  proposal  and 
would  make  the following  comments: 1. General  comments 
1.1. The  Committee  approves  the  Commission's 
proposal,  as far as its aims  are (a) to ensure  that  there  is a 
common  market  in hot-water  meters,  (b) to align  national 
laws  concerning  them,  while  preventing  the erection  of 
new barriers  to Member  States  which  do not yet have  such 
laws. 
1.2. Hot-water  meters  are being  used  more  and more, 
especially  as a means  of saving  energy  and  sharing  out 
costs  more  fairly  between  users  of hot water. 
Hot-water  meters  reveal  the real cost  of hot water  at once. 
Everybody  then  takes  care  to cut his costs  and  thus  to 
avoid  wastage  and leaks.  In some  cases,  very  large  drops  in 
hot-water  consumption  have  been  registered  as a result.  In 
addition,  defective  boilers  or boilers  not in operation  are 
spotted  immediately  from  meter  readings. 
Hot water  is very  costly,  being  several  times  more 
expensive  than  cold  water.  Less  hot water  than  cold  water 
is consumed,  yet hot-water  bills  are much  higher  than  the 
bills for cold  water.  This  difference  will no doubt  increase 
because  of the expected  rise in the cost  of energy. 
2. Specific  comments 
2.1. It  appears  that  the Directive  seeks  to introduce  a 
Class  'O' meter  whose  measuring  characteristics  differ 
from  those  of the other  classes  of meter  so that such  meters 
can be used  as a component  in thermal  energy  meters.  But 
in so far as hot-water  meters  are still being  used  as such,  it 
13. 11. 78 Official  Journal  of the European  Communities No C 269/45 
must  be realized  that  they  are a specific  type  of instrument 
and intended  to be used  in an entirely  different  way. 
Accordingly,  they  must  be just  as accurate  if not more 
accurate  than  cold-water  meters. 
2.2. For  these  reasons,  and  bearing  in mind  the 
technical  advances  that  have  been  made  since  work  was 
begun  on the Directive  — especially  the big leap  prompted 
by the energy  crisis  - and  the high  unit  cost  of heated 
water,  it is in the  consumer's  own  interest  to have 
harmonization  which  keeps  abreast  of progress. 2.3. The  Committee  therefore  asks  the Commission  to 
take a fresh  look  at the various  classes  proposed  in the 
light  of the interests  of the consumer  and bearing  in mind 
the comments  made  by some  members  in the report. 
3. Harmonization  solution 
The Committee  agrees  with  the generally  held  view  that 
'total  harmonization'  is desirable  in this  field. 
Done  at Brussels,  31 Mav  1978. 
, The Chairman 
of the Economic  and  Social  Committee 
Basil  de FERRANTI 
Opinion  on the proposal  for a Council  Directive  on the approximation  of the laws  of the 
Member  States  concerning  the general  requirements  of construction  and  certain  types  of 
protection  for electrical  equipment  for use in potentially  explosive  atmospheres 
The text  referred  to the Committee  has been  published  in Official  Journal  of the European 
Communities  No  C 4 of 6 January  1978,  page  2. 
A. LEGAL  BASIS  FOR  THE  OPINION 
On 4 January  1978,  the Council  referred  the abovementioned  proposal  to the Economic  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 159th 
plenary  session,  held  in Brussels  on 31 May  and  1 June  1978. 
The full text  of the opinion  is as follows: 
THE  ECONOMIC  AND  SOCIAL  COMMITTEE, 
Having  regard  to the Treaty  establishing  the European 
Economic  Community,  and  in particular  Article  100 
thereof, 
Having  regard  to the request  made  by the Council  of the 
European  Communities  on 6 January  1978, 
Having  regard  to the decision  taken  by the Bureau  of the 
Economic  and  Social  Committee  on 31 January  1978, 
instructing  the Section  for Industry,  Commerce,  Crafts and Services  to draw  up an opinion  and a report  on the 
matter, 
Having  regard  to the opinion  issued  by the Section  for 
Industry,  Commerce,  Crafts  and Services  at its meeting  on 
10 May  1978, 
Having  regard  to the oral  report  made  by the rapporteur, 
Mr Masprone, 
Having  regard  to the discussions  at its 159th  plenary 
session,  held  on 31 May  and  1 June  1978  (meeting  of 
31 May  1978),