Hello Richard,
The operative "Metric" directives are (in my humble opinion):
71/354/EEC, 80/181/EEC, 85/1/EEC and 89/617/EEC
The next opportunity for the EU to consider a modification of the
mentioned date is at a meeting in May. Unfortunately, since this
requirement is embedded in European Law, all member states must address
the potential change and that is going to take some time.
Regards, Art Michael, Editor - IPSN
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On Tue, 24 Mar 1998, WOODS, RICHARD wrote:
> What is the official number of this directive?
>
> > ----------
> > From: Eric Henning[SMTP:[email protected]]
> > Sent: Tuesday, March 24, 1998 10:12 AM
> > To: [email protected]
> > Subject: update on Metric Directive
> >
> > As some of you may recall, the Metric Directive which requires metric
> > only marking in Europe beginning Jan , 2000 (S.I. units cannot appear
> > in documents or product, ie no dual marking such as 2.54 cm (1 in.),
> > here is an update with reference to sources:
> >
> >
> >
> > >From : at NIST
> > Jim McCracken
> > Metric Program
> >
> > >The European Commission's technical staff recently proposed that the
> > >implementation of metric measures only be delayed until 2010. This
> > >requires
> > >political action and review by the EU Parliament, the Member State's
> > >legislative bodies and a ruling by the European Commission. This may
> > >take
> > >until 1999 AND may only pass if the U.S. makes commitments to focus
> > on >its
> > >metric conversion so that the problem doesn't reappear in 2008.
> >
> >
> > and from Conformity newsletter (Mar 98):
> >
> > >Truth In Labeling May Reach Absurd Proportions
> >
> > >A meeting in Brussels last November between officials of the European
> > >Union (EU) and the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) may
> > >portend the absurd lengths to which manufacturers and government
> > >officials are willing to go to ensure compliance with EU Directives.
> >
> > >That metric measurements be used on products sold throughout the EU.
> > >Under subsequent EU legislation, manufacturers have been allowed to
> > >use supplemental, non-metric units of measurement on their packaging,
> > >which presumably allows them to produce a single label for products
> > >shipped world-wide. However, the EU provision allowing for
> > >supplemental units of measurement reportedly expires on
> > >December 31, 1999.
> >
> > >Apparently, a number of American manufacturers are expressing concern
> > >about their ability to comply with the "metric-only" requirements by
> > >that date. During the Brussels meeting, ANSI officials reportedly
> > >requested that EU officials extend indefinitely the allowance for
> > >supplemental, non-metric units of measurement on product packaging,
> > >arguing that "labeling requirements for units of measurement must not
> > >create barriers to trade" (our emphasis).
> >
> > >One reported solution coming from reliable sources would be to add
> > the
> > >phrase "References to non SI-units (i.e. non-metric units) are
> > >obsolete" to labels bearing dual units of measurement.
> >
> >
> >
> > eric [email protected]
> >
>
