Requirements on liquid fuel measuring systems

The manufacturers, authorised representatives, importers and distributors are responsible for ensuring that the liquid fuel measuring system to be sold and commissioned fulfils the requirements of the Measuring Instruments Directive (MID). The company using the measuring system is responsible for obtaining a measuring system that is suitable for the purpose and fulfils the requirements.

Declaration of conformity with the Measuring Instruments Directive

The Measuring Instruments Directive sets requirements on the whole liquid fuel measuring system that includes all parts of the equipment essential for carrying out the measurement.

The manufacturer chooses, which procedure (module) described in the directive it will use to demonstrate compliance. A notified body is involved in all of the procedures available. The manufacturer’s declaration of conformity covers the whole system. In addition to the declaration of conformity, the manufacturer affixes the marking shown in Figure 1 to the measuring system. Information about notified inspection bodies is available in the Nando system maintained by the European Commission.

An example of a CE marking compliant with the Measuring Instruments Directive.

Figure 1. An example of a CE marking compliant with the Measuring Instruments Directive. The letter M and the year reveal the manufacturing year of the instrument. The four-digit number on the right is the identifier of the inspection body that assessed the instrument's conformity.

Measuring liquid fuels and OIML R117-1

The manufacturer can use harmonised standards or normative OIML documents to demonstrate conformity with the essential requirements of the Measuring Instruments Directive. The normative document on liquid fuel measuring systems is OIML recommendation R 117-1 (2007).

The European Commission has approved the OIML recommendation R 117-1 as a normative document for use in demonstrating compliance with the Measuring Instruments Directive.

Finnish national type approval

Measuring equipment with a Finnish type approval can still be used, if the equipment works reliably and its verification is valid.

Finnish type approvals were granted for measuring instruments before 30 October 2006, and it was possible to commission compliant equipment until 30 October 2016. The Finnish type approval identifier is VJ.A.XX.YY for meters intended for liquids other than water and VJ.D.XX.YY for liquid measurement equipment. In the marking, XX is a sequential number and YY is the last two digits of the year when the marking was granted.

If it is necessary to make changes to the equipment that would also require changes to the equipment described in the type approval, the measuring equipment must be made compliant with the Measuring Instruments Directive.