FAQ

        European Directive 2004/22/EC - better known as the MID Directive (Measuring Instruments Directive) - is an EC directive that is applied to all measuring instruments and regulates their production, marketing and start-up. MID was adopted by the Council of the European Parliament and supersedes national regulations in each of its Member State. The Directive regulates ten categories of measuring instruments and was conceived to harmonise requirements for new instruments placed on the market or for those already in use in Europe, eliminating differences that existed between national regulations which used to hamper trade. This "new approach" Directive allows manufacturers to choose from a selection of procedures to assess the conformity of their instruments and bolsters European standards in addition to OIML recommendations. Furthermore, it introduces the concept of a presumption of conformity to essential requirements. Certificates of Conformity to MID Directives are valid throughout Europe. As such, manufactures will find it easier to launch their verified measurement instruments on the market.

The Directive is applied to:
    Water meters, gas meters, gas meters with conversion devices, electricity meters, heat energy meters, measuring systems for the continuous and dynamic measurement of quantities of liquids other than water, automatic weighing instruments, taximeters, material measures, dimensional measuring instruments, exhaust gas analysers.

In implementing Art. 14 of Legislative Decree no. 22/2007 with Ministerial Decree of 29 August 2009, the Ministry for Economic Development has defined the subjects entrusted with monitoring the market and has assigned this task to the Chambers of Commerce.

Measuring laboratories accredited by the Chamber of Commerce (CCIAA) or by Weights and Measures Offices. In order to perform this function COOP BILANCIAI
HAVE OBTAINED MO 02 ACCREDITATION and we are therefore able to CHECK ANY EQUIPMENT FOR WEIGHING, WEIGHT-PRICING OR MASS SAMPLES.

The equipment installer must perform the first inspection using a CERTIFIED MASS SAMPLE in a quantity of not less than 20% of the maximum capacity of the instrument in question, in compliance with European Standard EN 45501.
A positive outcome to the test will result in a DECLARATION OF COMPLIANCE  being issued together with the OFFICIAL LABEL.
For example, a weighbridge with a maximum capacity of 80 tonnes must therefore be tested with a sample weight of at least 16 tonnes;
It is therefore ESSENTIAL that the operator installing the instrument OPERATES to these requirements.

For INSTRUMENTS GOVERNED BY LAW (therefore used for commercial transactions) the provisions of DM (Italian Ministerial Decree) no. 182 of 28 March 2000 lays down A THREE YEAR INTERVAL. This interval may be shortened if the scales have been repaired in such a way as to remove the metric seals.
For measuring instruments used for IN-HOUSE PRODUCTION PROCESSES in companies that operate a quality assurance system the FREQUENCY must be agreed with the certifying body.

The periodic inspection is a METROLOGICAL CHECK whose frequency is established by law as a THREE YEAR interval to check that the weighing instrument has maintained its metrological accuracy over time.
People in possession of such weighing instruments MUST REQUEST the periodic inspection FROM THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE for the province in which they are based or FROM A LABORATORY ACCREDITED by THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, SOMETHING THAT ALSO APPLIES TO COOP BILANCIAI (ACCREDITATION no. MO02).

GOVERNED BY LAW means the use of a weighing instrument for COMMERCIAL TRANSACTIONS (including sale directly to the public and the weighing and labelling of pre-packed products), for MEDICAL PRACTICES, for JUDICIAL INQUIRIES, etc.  These are regulated by Article 2 of D.L. (Italian decree law) no. 517 of 29/12/92 published in Official Gazette no. 306 of 31/12/92.
Instruments governed by law therefore, in addition to an INITIAL INSPECTION when they are first used for commerce, must undergo a PERIODIC INSPECTION and they are subject to SURVEILLANCE BY THE COMPETENT AUTHORITIES.

In Italy, the MID Directive was incorporated with Legislative Decree no. 22 dated 2 February 2007, “Implementation of Directive 2004/22/EC regarding measuring instruments." The Decree was published in ordinary supplement no. 73/L of Official Journal no. 64 dated 17 March 2007 and entered into force on 18 March 2007.

We contacted one of the most prestigious and important Notified Bodies in Europe to fulfil the procedures provided for by the Directive in question in terms of our Mercury line of automatic instruments, that is Britain’s NWML. Furthermore, our Venus line of automatic instruments is undergoing certification by the same Notified Body at the moment.