Proposal for a DIRECTIVE OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to units of measurement
Date: 2010-09-27
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: approximation of laws, codification of EU law, measuring equipment, metrology

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EUROPEAN COMMISSION  

Brussels, 27.9.2010 
COM(2010) 507 final 

2010/0260 (COD) 

Proposal for a 

DIRECTIVE OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL 

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

(Codification) 

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EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM 

In  the  context  of  a  people’s  Europe,  the  Commission  attaches  great  importance  to 
simplifying  and  clarifying  the  law  of  the  Union  so  as  to  make  it  clearer  and  more 
accessible  to  citizens,  thus  giving  them  new  opportunities  and  the  chance  to  make 
use of the specific rights it gives them. 

This aim cannot be achieved so long as numerous provisions that have been amended 
several times, often quite substantially, remain scattered, so that they must be sought 
partly  in  the  original  instrument  and  partly  in  later  amending  ones.  Considerable 
research work, comparing many different instruments, is thus needed to identify the 
current rules. 

For  this  reason  a  codification  of  rules  that  have  frequently  been  amended  is  also 
essential if Community law is to be clear and transparent. 

On 1 April 1987 the Commission decided1 to instruct its staff that all acts should be 
codified  after  no  more  than  ten  amendments,  stressing  that  this  is  a  minimum 
requirement  and  that  departments  should  endeavour  to  codify  at  even  shorter 
intervals the texts for which they are responsible, to ensure that the Community rules 
are clear and readily understandable. 

The  Conclusions  of 
the  Edinburgh  European  Council 
(December 1992) confirmed this2, stressing the importance of codification as it offers 
certainty as to the law applicable to a given matter at a given time. 

the  Presidency  of 

Codification  must  be  undertaken  in  full  compliance  with  the  normal  procedure  for 
the adoption of acts of the Union. 

Given  that  no  changes  of  substance  may  be  made  to  the  instruments  affected  by 
codification, the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission have agreed, 
by  an  interinstitutional  agreement  dated  20  December  1994,  that  an  accelerated 
procedure may be used for the fast-track adoption of codification instruments. 

is 

this  proposal 

to  undertake  a  codification  of  Council 
The  purpose  of 
Directive 80/181/EEC of 20 December 1979 on the approximation of the laws of the 
the  repeal  of 
Member  States  relating 
Directive 71/354/EEC3.  The  new  Directive  will  supersede 
the  various  acts 
incorporated in it4; this proposal fully preserves the content of the acts being codified 
and hence does no more than bring them together with only such formal amendments 
as are required by the codification exercise itself. 

to  units  of  measurement  and  on 

COM(87) 868 PV. 
See Annex 3 to Part A of the Conclusions. 
Carried out pursuant to the Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament and the 
Council – Codification of the Acquis communautaire, COM(2001) 645 final. 
See Annex II, Part A of this proposal. 

1. 

2. 

3. 

4. 

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2 
3 

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5. 

The codification proposal was drawn up on the basis of a preliminary consolidation, 
in 22 official languages, of Directive 80/181/EEC and the instruments amending it, 
carried  out  by  the  Publications  Office  of  the  European  Union,  by  means  of  a 
data-processing  system.  Where  the  Articles  have  been  given  new  numbers,  the 
correlation  between  the  old  and  the  new  numbers  is  shown  in  a  table  contained  in 
Annex III to the codified Directive. 

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(cid:208) 80/181/EEC (adapted) 

2010/0260 (COD) 

Proposal for a 

DIRECTIVE OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL 

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

(Codification) 

(Text with EEA relevance) 

THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, 

Having  regard  to  the  Treaty  on  the  Functioning  of  the  European  Union,  and  in  particular 
Article ⌦ 114 ⌫ thereof, 

Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission, 

After transmission of the draft legislative act to the national Parliaments, 

Having regard to the opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee5, 

Acting in accordance with the ordinary legislative procedure, 

Whereas: 

(1) 

Directive 80/181/EEC  of  the  Council  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/EEC6 has been substantially amended several times7. In the interests 
of clarity and rationality the said Directive should be codified. 

(cid:208)  

5 
6 
7 

OJ C […], […], p. […]. 
OJ L 39, 15.2.1980, p. 40. 
See Annex II, Part A. 

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(cid:208) 80/181/EEC Recital 1 (adapted) 

(2) 

Units of measurement are essential in the use of all measuring instruments, to express 
measurements  or  any  indication  of  quantity.  Units  of  measurement  are  used  in  most 
fields of human activity. It is necessary to ensure the greatest possible clarity in their 
use. It is therefore necessary to make rules for their use within the ⌦ Union ⌫ for 
economic, public health, public safety or administrative purposes. 

(3) 

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. 
The “International System of Units” (SI) was drawn up as a result of these resolutions. 

(cid:208) 80/181/EEC Recital 4 

(4) 

There  exist  international  conventions  or  agreements  in  the  field  of  international 
transport  which  bind  the  ⌦ Union ⌫  or  the  Member  States.  These  conventions  or 
agreements have to be respected. 

(cid:208) 80/181/EEC Recital 2 (adapted) 

(5) 

(6) 

(cid:208)2009/3/EC Recital 1 (adapted) 

Given  the  local  character  of  ⌦ certain  ⌫  exemptions  ⌦still  being  applied  in  the 
United  Kingdom  and  Ireland  in  respect  of  units  of  measurement ⌫  and  the  limited 
number of products concerned, maintaining ⌦ these ⌫ exemptions would not result 
in a non-tariff barrier to trade and, as a consequence, there is no need to put an end to 
those exemptions. 

(cid:208) 1999/103/EC Recital 4 
(adapted) 

Certain third countries do not accept on to their market products marked exclusively in 
the  legal  units  established  by  ⌦ this ⌫  Directive.  Companies  exporting  their 
products  to  these  countries  will  be  disadvantaged  if  supplementary  indications  are 
disallowed. Supplementary indications in non-legal units should therefore ⌦ continue 
to ⌫ be authorised. 

(7)  ⌦ Such ⌫  supplementary  indications  could  also  allow  the  gradual  and  smooth 

introduction of new metric units which may be developed at the international level. 

(cid:208) 2009/3/CE Recital 6 (adapted)  

(8) 

However, the systematic application ⌦ of using supplementary indications ⌫ for all 
measuring instruments including for medical instruments is not necessarily desirable. 
The  Member  States  should  therefore  be  able  to  require  that,  on  their  territory, 

(cid:208) 80/181/EEC Recital 9 (adapted) 

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

(cid:208) 80/181/EEC Recital 10 
(adapted) 

(9) 

This  Directive  does  not  affect  the  continued  manufacture  of  products  already  on  the 
market ⌦ before the date of application of Directive 80/181/EC ⌫. 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.  It  is  therefore  necessary  for  Member  States  to  authorise  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. 

(cid:208) 2009/3/CE Recital 4 (adapted) 

(10)  ⌦ This ⌫ directive supports the smooth functioning of the internal market through 
the level of harmonisation of units of measurement it prescribes. In this context, it is 
appropriate  that  the  Commission  monitor  market  developments  relating  to  that 
Directive  and  its  implementation,  notably  as  concerns  possible  obstacles  to  the 
functioning of the internal market and any further harmonisation required to overcome 
those obstacles. 

(11) 

It is appropriate that the Commission continue to strongly pursue, in the context of its 
third  country  trade  relations,  including  the  Transatlantic  Economic  Council,  the 
acceptance in third country markets of products labelled only in SI units. 

(cid:208) 2009/3/CE Recital 5 (adapted) 

(12)  This  Directive  should  be  without  prejudice  to  the  obligations  of  the  Member  States 
relating  to  the  time-limits  for  transposition  into  national  law  and  application  of  the 
Directives set out in Annex II, Part B, 

(cid:208)  

HAVE ADOPTED THIS DIRECTIVE: 

Article 1 

(cid:208) 80/181/EEC (adapted) 

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 Annex ⌦ I ⌫; 

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(b) 

those listed in Chapter II of Annex ⌦ I ⌫ only in those Member States where they 
were authorised on 21 April 1973. 

(cid:208) 2009/3/EC Art.1 pt. 1 (adapted) 

(cid:208) 80/181/EEC 

Article 2 

(cid:208) 2009/3/EC Art. 1, pt. 2 
(adapted) 

1. The obligations arising under Article 1 relate to measuring instruments used, measurements 
made and indications of quantity expressed in units of measurement. 

2. 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 ⌦ Union ⌫ or the Member States. 

(cid:208) 80/181/EEC (adapted) 

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 
Annex ⌦ I ⌫ accompanying an indication of quantity expressed in a unit contained in that 
Chapter. 

2. The use of supplementary indications shall be authorised. 

(cid:208) 2009/3/EC Art. 1 pt. 3 

(cid:208) 80/181/EEC (adapted) 

However, Member States may require that measuring instruments bear indications of quantity 
in a single legal unit of measurement. 

3.  The  indication  expressed  in  a  unit  of  measurement  listed  in  Chapter  I ⌦ of  Annex  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. 

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Article 4 

The use of units of measurement which are not or are no longer legal shall be authorised for: 

(a) 

(b) 

products  and  equipment  already  on 
⌦ 20 December 1979 ⌫; 

the  market  and/or 

in  service  on 

components  and  parts  of  products  and  of  equipment  necessary  to  supplement  or 
replace  components  or  parts  of  the  products  and  equipment  ⌦ referred  to  in 
point (a) ⌫. 

However,  the  use  of  legal  units  of  measurement  may  be  required  for  the  indicators  of 
measuring instruments. 

(cid:208) 80/181/EEC 

(cid:208) 1999/103/EC Art. 1 pt. 2 
(adapted) 

Article 5 

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  Article 17  of 
the  procedure  referred 
Directive 2009/34/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council8. 

in  accordance  with 

to 

(cid:208) 2009/3/EC Art. 1 pt. 4 (adapted) 

Article 6 

The  Commission  shall  monitor  market  developments  relating  to  this  Directive  and  its 
implementation with regard to the smooth functioning of the internal market and international 
trade  and  shall  submit  a  report  on  those  developments,  accompanied  by  proposals  where 
appropriate, to the European Parliament and to the Council by 31 December 2019. 

(cid:208) 80/181/EEC (adapted) 

Article 7 

Member States shall 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. 

8 

OJ L 106, 28.4.2009, p. 7. 

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(cid:208)  

Article 8 

Directive 80/181/EEC, as amended by the Directives listed in Annex II, Part A, is repealed, 
without  prejudice  to  the  obligations  of  the  Member  States  relating  to  the  time-limits  for 
transposition into national law and application of the Directives set out in Annex II, Part B. 

References  to  the  repealed  Directive  shall  be  construed  as  references  to  this  Directive  and 
shall be read in accordance with the correlation table in Annex III. 

This Directive shall enter into force on the twentieth day following that of its publication in 
the Official Journal of the European Union. 

Article 9 

(cid:208) 80/181/EEC Art. 8 

Article 10 

This Directive is addressed to the Member States. 

Done at […],  

For the European Parliament 
The President 

For the Council 
The President 

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(cid:208) Corrigendum 80/181/EEC 
(OJ L 296, 15.10.1981, p. 52) 

ANNEX I 

CHAPTER I 

LEGAL UNITS OF MEASUREMENT REFERRED TO IN 
ARTICLE 1 (a) 

1. 

SI UNITS AND THEIR DECIMAL MULTIPLES AND SUBMULTIPLES 

1.1. 

SI base units 

Quantity 

Unit 

Name 

Symbol 

Length 

Mass 

Time 

Electric current 

Thermodynamic temperature 

Amount of substance 

Luminous intensity 

Unit of length 

metre 

kilogram 

second 

ampere 

kelvin 

mole 

candela 

m 

kg 

s 

A 

K 

mol 

cd 

(cid:208) 85/1/EEC Art. 1 pt. 1 

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). 

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(cid:208) Corrigendum 80/181/EEC 
(OJ L 296, 15.10.1981, p. 52) 

Unit of mass 

A kilogram is a 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 

A 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 

An  ampere  is  a  constant  current  which,  if  maintained  in  two  straight  parallel 
conductors  of  infinite  length,  of  negligible  circular  cross-section,  and  placed  one 
metre apart in a 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)). 

(cid:208) 2009/3/EC Art. 1 p. 5 (a) 

Unit of thermodynamic temperature 

A  kelvin,  unit  of  thermodynamic  temperature,  is  the  fraction  1/273,16  of  the 
thermodynamic temperature of the triple point of water. 

This  definition  refers  to  water  having  the  isotopic  composition  defined  by  the 
following  amount-of-substance  ratios:  0,00015576  mole  of  2H  per  mole  of  1H, 
0,0003799 mole of 17O per mole of 16O and 0,0020052 mole of 18O per mole of 16O. 

(Thirteenth  CGPM 
Resolution 10). 

(1967),  Resolution  4  and  Twenty-third  CGPM (2007), 

(cid:208) 80/181/CEE 
(cid:206)1 2009/3/EC Art. 1 pt. 5 (b) 

Unit of amount of substance 

A 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. 

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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). 

Unit of luminous intensity 

A  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.  (cid:206)1 Special  name  and  symbol  of  the  SI  derived  unit  of  temperature  for  expressing 

Celsius temperature  

Quantity 

Unit 

Name 

Celsius temperature 

degree Celsius 

Symbol 

°C 

(cid:208) 1999/103/EC Art. 1 pt. 3(a) 
(cid:206)1 Corrigendum 1999/103/EC 
(OJ L 311, 12.12.2000, p. 50) 

two 

thermodynamic 

Celsius temperature (cid:206)1 t  is defined as the difference (cid:206)1 t = T - T0  between 
and  (cid:206)1 T0   where 
the 
(cid:206)1 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». 

temperatures  (cid:206)1 T  

1.2. 

SI derived units 

1.2.1.  General rule for SI derived units 

(cid:208) 2009/3/EC Art.1 pt. 5(c) 

(cid:208) 2009/3/EC Art.1 pt. 5(e) 

Units derived coherently from SI base units are given as algebraic expressions in the 
form of products of powers of the SI base units with a numerical factor equal to 1. 

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1.2.2 

SI derived units with special names and symbols 

Quantity 

Unit 

Expression 

Name 

Symbol 

In terms of SI base 

In terms 
of other 
SI units 

radian 

rad 

steradian 

sr 

Plane angle 

Solid angle 

Frequency 

Force 

Pressure, stress 

Energy, work; quantity 
of heat 

hertz 

newton 

pascal 

joule 

Power(1), radiant flux 

watt 

Quantity of electricity, 
electric charge 

coulomb 

Electric potential, 
potential difference, 
electromotive force 

volt 

Electric resistance 

ohm 

Conductance 

Capacitance 

siemens 

farad 

Magnetic flux density 

tesla 

Hz 

N 

Pa 

J 

W 

C 

V 

Ω 

S 

F 

m · m–1 

m2 · m–2 

s−1 

m · kg · s−2 

N · m−2  m−1 · kg · s−2 

N · m 

m2 · kg · s−2 

J · s−1 

m2 · kg · s−3 

s · A 

W · A−1  m2 · kg · s−3 · A−1 

V · A−1  m2 · kg · s−3 · A−2 

A · V−1  m−2 · kg−1 · s3 · A2 

C · V−1  m−2 · kg−1 · s4 · A2 

Magnetic flux 

weber 

Wb 

V · s 

m2 · kg · s−2 · A−1 

T 

H 

lm 

lx 

Wb · m−2  kg · s−2 · A−1 

Wb · A−1  m2 · kg · s−2 · A−2 

cd · sr 

cd 

lm · m−2  m−2 · cd ·  

henry 

lumen 

lux 

becquerel  Bq 

s−1 

gray 

Gy 

J · kg−1  m2 · s−2 

Inductance 

Luminous flux 

Illuminance 

Activity (of a 
radionuclide) 

Absorbed dose, specific 
energy imparted, kerma, 
absorbed dose index 

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Dose equivalent 

sievert 

Catalytic activity 

katal 

Sv 

kat 

J · kg−1  m2 · s−2 

mol · s–1 

(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  from  SI  base  units  may  be  expressed  in  terms  of  the  units  listed  in 
Chapter 1. 

In  particular,  derived  SI  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 

1024 

1021 

1018 

1015 

1012 

109 

106 

103 

102 

101 

10-1 

10-2 

10-3 

10-6 

Prefix 

yotta 

zetta 

exa 

peta 

tera 

giga 

mega 

kilo 

hecto 

deca 

deci 

centi 

milli 

micro 

(cid:208) 1999/103/EC Art. 1 pt. 3(c) 
(cid:206)1 Corrigendum, 1999/103/EC 
(OJ L 104, 29.4.2000, p. 89) 

Symbol 

Y 

Z 

E 

P 

T 

G 

M 

(cid:206)1 k  

(cid:206)1 h  

da 

d 

c 

m 

µ 

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10-9 

10-12 

10-15 

10-18 

10-21 

10-24 

nano 

pico 

femto 

atto 

zepto 

yocto 

n 

p 

f 

a 

z 

y 

(cid:208) Corrigendum 80/181/EEC 
(OJ L 296, 15.10.1981, p. 52) 

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 authorised names and symbols of decimal multiples and submultiples of 
SI units 

Quantity 

Volume 

Mass 

Unit 

Name 

Symbol 

Value 

litre 

1 or L (1)  1 l = 1 dm3 = 10−3 m3 

tonne 

T 

1 t = 1 Mg = 103 kg 

Pressure, stress 

bar 

bar(2) 

1 bar = 105 Pa 

1 

2 

The two symbols «l» and «L» may be used for the litre unit.(Sixteenth CGPM (1979), 
Resolution 6); 
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 the Table in 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 

Name 

Symbol 

Value 

Unit 

Plane angle 

revolution*(1) (a) 

1 revolution = 2 π rad 

grade* or gon* 

gon* 

1 gon = π/200 rad 

degree 

minute of angle 

second of angle 

° 

′ 

″ 

1° = π/180 rad 

1′ = π/10 800 rad 

1″ = π/648 000 rad 

Time 

minute 

Min 

1 min = 60 s 

hour 

day 

H 

d 

1 h = 3 600 s 

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 or BIPM. This applies to the whole of this Annex. 
No international symbol exists. 

(a) 
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 

(cid:208) 1999/103/EC Art. 1 pt. 3(d) 

Quantity 

Name 

Unit 

Symbol 

Energy 

Electronvolt 

eV 

Mass 

Unified atomic mass 
unit 

u 

Definition 

The electron volt is 
the kinetic energy 
acquired by an 
electron in passing 
through a potential 
difference of 1 volt in 
vacuum 

The unified atomic 
mass unit is equal to 
1/12 of the mass of 
an atom of the 
nuclide 12C. 

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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  SPECIALISED  FIELDS 
ONLY 

(cid:208) Corrigendum 80/181/EEC 
(OJ L 296, 15.10.1981, p. 52) 

Quantity 

Unit 

Name 

Symbol 

Value 

Vergency of optical 
systems 

dioptre* 

Mass of precious stones  metric carat 

1 dioptre = 1 m−1 

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 

Blood pressure and 
pressure of other body 
fluids  

(cid:208) 85/1/EEC Art. 1 pt. 2(a) 

Millimetre of 
mercury  

mm Hg(*)  

1 mm Hg = 133,322 
Pa  

Effective cross-sectional 
area  

Barn  

b  

1 b = 10−28 m2  

(cid:208) Corrigendum 80/181/EEC 
(OJ L 296, 15.10.1981, p. 52) 
(cid:206)1 85/1/EEC Art. 1 pt. 2(b) 

Note:  (cid:206)1 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  102a  is,  however,  called  a 
«hectare».  

5. 

COMPOUND UNITS 

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

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(cid:208) 89/617/EEC Art. 1 pt. 5(a) 

CHAPTER II 

LEGAL UNITS OF MEASUREMENT REFERRED TO IN 
ARTICLE 1 (b), PERMITTED FOR SPECIFIC USES ONLY 

Field of application 

Unit 

Name 

Approximate value 

Symbol 

Road  traffic  signs,  distance  and  speed 
measurement 

mile 

yard 

foot 

inch 

Dispense  of  draught  beer  and  cider; 
milk in returnable containers 

pint 

1 mile = 

1 609 m  mile 

1 yd = 

0,9144 m  yd 

1 ft = 

0,3048 m 

ft 

1 in = 

1 pt = 

2,54 × 
10−2m 

0,5683 × 
10−3m3 

31,10 × 
10−3 kg 

in 

pt 

oz tr 

Transaction in precious metals 

troy ounce 

1 oz tr = 

‘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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(cid:207) 

ANNEX II 

Part A 

Repealed Directive with list of its successive amendments 
(referred to in Article 8) 

Council Directive 80/181/EEC  

(OJ L 39, 15.2.1980, p. 40) 

Council Directive 85/1/EEC 

(OJ L 2, 3.1.1985, p. 11) 

Council Directive 89/617/EEC 

(OJ L 357, 7.12.1989, p. 28) 

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

(OJ L 34, 9.2.2000, p. 17) 

Directive 2009/3/EC of the European Parliament and 
of the Council 

(OJ L 114, 7.5.2009, p. 10) 

Part B 

List of time-limits for transposition into national law and application 
(referred to in Article 8) 

Directive 

Time-limit for transposition 

Date of application 

80/181/EEC 

85/1/EEC 

89/617/EEC 

1999/103/EC 

2009/3/EC 

30 June 1981 

1 July 1985 

30 November 1991 

8 February 2001 

1 October 1981 

- 

- 

- 

31 December 2009 

1 January 2010 

_____________ 

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ANNEX III 

CORRELATION TABLE 

Directive 80/181/EEC 

This Directive 

Article 1(a) and (b) 

Article 1 (c) and (d)  

Article 2 (a) 

Article 2 (b) 

Article 3 (1) 

Article 3 (2) 

Article 3 (3) 

Article 3 (4) 

Article  4, 
sentence 

Article 1(a) and (b) 

- 

Article 2 (1) 

Article 2 (2) 

Article 3 (1) 

Article 3 (2), first paragraph 

Article 3 (2), second paragraph 

Article 3 (3) 

first  paragraph, 

introductory 

Article 4, first paragraph, introductory sentence 

Article 4, first paragraph, first indent 

Article 4, first paragraph, point (a) 

Article 4, first paragraph, second indent 

Article 4, first paragraph, point (b) 

Article 4, second paragraph 

Article 4, second paragraph 

Article 5 

Article 6 

Article 6a 

Article 6b 

Article 7 (a) 

Article 7 (b) 

- 

- 

Article 8 

- 

Article 5 

Article 6 

- 

Article 7 

Article 8 

Article 9 

Article 10 

Annex, Chapter I, points 1.-1.2. 

Annex I, Chapter 1, points 1.-1.2. 

Annex, Chapter I, point 1.2.1. 

- 

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Annex, Chapter I, point 1.2.2. 

Annex I, Chapter I, point 1.2.1. 

Annex, Chapter I, point 1.2.3. 

Annex I, Chapter I, point 1.2.2. 

Annex, Chapter I, points 1.3. - 5. 

Annex I, Chapter I, points 1.3. - 5. 

Annex, Chapter II 

Annex I, Chapter II 

Annex, Chapters III and IV 

- 

- 

- 

Annex II 

Annex III 

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