Legal units of measurement of the Système international SI, supplementary after 31/12/1999 (amend. Directive 80/181/EEC)

PURPOSE: to amend Council Directive 80/181/EEC on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to units of measurement. CONTENT: the Commission proposes two kinds of amendments. These are aligning Directive 80/181/EEC to international agreements and decisions, and extending the deadline concerning the use of supplementary indications. It is necessary to bring the Directive into line with agreements and decisions made at international level on units of the SI and their practical use. In addition, it is important that the time limit for the use of supplementary indications is extended until 31 December 2009. Moreover, the inclusion of a new Article 6a, obliges the Commission to re-examine the Directive and its operation and to adopt appropriate measures if necessary. It is also proposed that the re-evaluation and adoption of measures shall be carried out in consultation with the Committee set up by Directive 71/316/EEC (the framework Directive for legal metrology affairs) according to the procedure laid down by that Directive.�