Doug, following is a message I placed on TREG a few weeks ago, but it did not generate much discussion. I reference the directive numbers and best I can tell these are not simply DRAFT directives. I have not had a chance to check out the directive that supposedly withdraws these. Has anyone else??
Scott Lemon Nortel "Being fairly new to the TREG bulletin board, I dont know if this has been previously discussed, however... directive 80/181/EEC, No. L 39/40 15.2.80 (plus am 85/1/EEC, 89/617/EEC) requires basically by the year 2000 that all "indications of quantity" expressed in units of measurement (packaging/marking/labels/ documentation, etc.) must be in SI units (metric) - exclusively! Use of supplementary units (side by side) is only allowed until 2000. Since the original directive, subsequent amendments have pushed back the mandatory date. Does anyone have a feel for the possibility of this being pushed back further, or perhaps it will not be actively enforced? Do we really think the Brits are going to give up their pints of ale in lieu of a half liter?? If this stands, it will mean dual packaging/ documentation etc. for the US and EU since there will be no allowance for supplemental non-metric markings. Any thoughts, etc. are welcome." In message "Metrics", [email protected] writes: > >Dear group, > >Recently someone sent out a question about metric labeling of products >destined for the EU. I am sorry but I misplaced the original question. > >Below I have attached an email from NIST. More information can be found at >http://physlab.nist.gov/Divisions/Div840/SI.html. I had trouble getting >this URL to work at first and you may be able to start at >http://physlab.nist.gov/Divisions to get it going. > >Doug Powell >Advanced Energy Industries, Inc. > > > > ---------- Forwarded message ---------- >Date: Tue, 24 Jun 1997 09:56:26 -0400 >From: Maureen Breitenberg <[email protected]> > >Subject: Business Alert - Received from the NIST Metric Program > >Please notify the appropriate people/companies of the following: > >One January 1, 2000, all products sold in the European Union (EU) and >its associated countries must be specified and labeled ONLY in metric >measurement. DUAL MEASUREMENTS ON PRODUCT LABELS WILL NO LONGER BE >PERMITTED IN ANY EU COUNTRY. U.S. exporters will no longer be able to >print inches, pounds, or non-metric measures in any shipment. > >This prohibition will extend to the UK and Ireland which will no >longer rely on non-metric or imperial measures. No feet, pounds, or >quarts. The rest of Europe long ago adopted the metric system for >commercial purposes. > >In the year 2000, and thereafter, the EU will prohibit non-metric >measures in advertising and catalogs. Technical manuals and user >instructions also will have to use metric units for all products >placed on the market. > >For certain industries in which package sizing is an important aspect >of marketing, the requirements for metric-only measurements on labels >may lead to critical decisions concerning package design. > >For further information on the specifics of these metric labeling >regulations and where to obtain U.S.-based services to fulfill these >requirements, call the Trade Information Center at 1-800-USA-TRADE, >email: [email protected]. This office, run by the U.S. Department of >Commerce, is a comprehensive resource for information on all Federal >government export assistance programs. > >The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) publishes a >comprehensive guide to the European standards and regulatory >communities that directly affect doing business in the EU and its >associated countries. The guide, NIST Special Publication 891 >"Standards Setting in the European Union - Standards Organizations and >Officials in EU Standards Activities," is available by calling the >NIST Inquiries Office at 301-975-3058, email: [email protected]. > >The NIST Metric Program provides leadership and assistance on metric >use and conversion to business, state and local governments, standards >organizations, trade associations, and the educational community. For >further assistance with metric issues in general, contact the Metric >Program at 301-975-3690, email: [email protected]. > > > >
