MID FAQ

What does MID stand for?
MID is the abbreviation of “Measuring Instruments Directive”. The complete title is “Directive 2004/22/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 31 March 2004 on measuring instruments”.

What does the MID cover?
The MID regulates the first time a measuring instrument is placed on the market or into use. In future, the manufacturer of the instrument carries the responsibility for ensuring that it conforms before putting it on the market. The MID defines various conformity processes to ensure that the instrument being put on the market conforms to the requirements of the MID.
The MID defines ten measuring instrument categories. From our product range this affects:

  • Electrical active energy meters
  • Heat meters
  • Water meters
  • Gas meters

In some countries, some categories are not covered by national legislation. The MID defines which conformity evaluation processes are admissible for the different measuring instrument categories.

What kinds of electricity meters does the MID regulate?
The MID is only valid for electrical active energy meters intended for residential, commercial or light industrial use.
The regulations are the same for both electromechanical and electronic meters. The regulations are valid for direct connected meters and instrument transformer meters.
The following instruments do not fall under the scope of the regulations: tariff and load control instruments of any type of construction and the transformer meter belonging to the transformer meter.

Who published these guidelines?
The European Parliament published this guideline two years ago. This guideline must be implemented in EU countries by October 30th,  2006. Under the bilateral agreement, these guidelines are now also part of the national regulations in Switzerland.

What is a notified body?
These are the national (e.g., the authorising institution until now) or private-law institutions that are allowed to conduct product and system auditing according to the MID. Each notified body has undergone a process to establish which measuring instrument categories they allowed to approve based on their experience and resources.

Who selects the notified body for a product?
Selecting the notified body lies exclusively with the manufacturer. According to the MID, a different notified body can be selected for each product. However, the individual product can be approved by one notified body only.

Can I have an already audited product locally admitted to a specific country?
That is not possible. A product approved or rejected by a notified body may not be submitted to another notified body.

Which of the permitted modules apply to Landis+Gyr?

  • Module B (design testing): electricity meters and heat meters 2WR5-7
  • Module D (conformity with type of construction based on quality assurance for production): electricity meters and heat meters 2WR5-7
  • Module H1 (conformity declaration based on a comprehensive quality assurance programme, completed by prototype testing): heat meters UH50

Will the current meter types still be offered or do all meters need to be adapted to MID?
Landis+Gyr-meters meet the MID requirements. They do not need to be changed. This is confirmed by our internal measurements. Tests according to EN 50470 will be performed by accredited laboratories or notified bodies in addition to the currently valid IEC 62031 tests. We will be able to present the test protocols to you.

Will MID have an impact on the meter portfolio?
The MID or EN50470 requires a minimum value of 5 for the current ratio Imax/Iref. The so called 300% and 400% meters will therefore not fall into the scope of MID and will no longer be offered. As long as the current EU-accrediting is still valid, these devices with first calibration will remain to be available also in Europe.

Is it possible for me to buy MID meters already?
The notified bodies will deliver the certificates needed for the declaration of conformity as soon as the MID comes into force. Therefore, we can only publish the declaration of conformity and deliver the meters subsequently.

How long can meters with current EU permits still be purchased?
These instruments will still be available up until their current permits expire. However, from October 30th, 2006 no extensions for technical changes will be granted for current permits. This is why it is only possible to obtain permits for any further developed instruments by going through the MID approval process.

Will a copy of the declaration be supplied with each measuring instrument?
In cases where a large number of instruments is delivered to a single user, we will probably deliver a single copy with a batch or consignment rather than with individual instruments in order to cut down on paper quantities. An instructions manual including the certificate of conformity will be attached to each heat meter.

Can meters of the same construction as those from current processes (IEC, national or EC approved) and manufactured according to the new MID processes be put together to form a sample in order to undergo the sampling inspection?
Unfortunately, this is not possible for these meters, for example, because they have different type designations based on the differing definitions for currents. According to information from metas and other notified bodies, it is possible however, for MID meters produced from November 2006 to December 2007 to be put together to form one lot. This would create a large enough sample for testing. 

Is there a transition period for meters that are still in the mains system?
The MID only regulates measuring instruments being put into circulation for the first time. All current regulations for instruments in the mains system are still valid, as long as the authorities in the individual countries or regions have not changed them – or until they do. 

Is there a transition period for meters currently available on the market?
All currently approved instruments with limited permits remain valid up to the expiry of their permits. Normally, that is up to ten years from the date of approval. These permits will expire on October  29th, 2016 at the latest (e.g., for a ten-year validity period).
Unlimited permits remain valid up to October 29th, 2016.

Will the current accuracy classes be kept?
No, the MID has defined new accuracy classes: A, B and C. Because of the new requirements, no direct comparison to the classes used until now is possible. In a simplified form, however, the new classes correspond to the former classes 2, 1 and 0.5.
In residential buildings, Class A should be selected for normal use and Class B for increased requirements. In the areas of business and light industry, Class B should be selected for normal use and Class C for increased requirements.
Note that for instance in Germany and Austria for transformer meters in minimum Class B will be required probably.

Will the standards valid until now continue to be valid?
The MID describes the basic requirements for instruments and some of the requirements are new, which affects some of the standards.
In order to simplify establishing conformity with the MID, new standards were created.
For electricity meters these are:

  • prEN50470-1 Alternating current electricity meters
    Part 1: General requirements, tests and test conditions – measurement equipment (accuracy classes A, B and C)
  • prEN50470-2 Alternating current electricity meters
    Part 2: Special requirements - electronic active electrical meters of accuracy classes A and B
     
  • prEN50470-3 Alternating current electricity meters
    Part 3: Special requirements - electronic active electrical meters of accuracy classes A, B and C

What are the new requirements?
In addition to the changes in the class definitions, the following items will be changed:

  • New definition of currents (Ist, Imin, Itr, Imax, in prEN50470-1 also: Iref)
  • Establishment of various temperature ranges for operation; this task also now appears on the dial
  • Definition of the measurement deviation as the square root of the sum of the squares of the deviation based on various influencing variables
  • Adjustments to the requirements with regard to EMC
  • Requirements with regard to reliability and dependability

How will the MID conforming meters be labelled?
Both the permit indication used until now and the CE symbol will be replaced by a new label.
This is made up of the CE symbol with an M for metrology, the year of production of the instrument and the number of the notified body (for Modules D, F or H1).


Will the safety seals still be available?
The seals are not prescribed in the MID. The manufacturer is responsible for safeguarding the meter. However, the manufacturer must declare the kind of safeguards used during the design tests. The kind of safety seal and its stamp must be accepted by the notified body.

The MID is valid only for electrical active energy meters. How will meters be treated that measure active electrical as well as reactive energy?
The MID is still valid for the active electrical energy part. The instruments are to be labelled according to the MID conforming technical data and class indications.
Reactive energy is subject to domestic government regulations. 
Depending on the country, the following are in effect or in preparation:

  • Regulations currently in place
  • Regulations analogue to the processes in the MID
  • Regulations currently in place will be/have been revoked

When will MID-conforming instruments be available at Landis+Gyr?
For our range, we plan to offer

  •    Digital  meters starting at the beginning of November 2006
  •    Electromechanical meters from December 2006
  •    Heat meters starting at the beginning of November 2006

How will Ferraris meters be offered in future?
Electromechanical meters can already be supplied directly from the supplier to the customer, with the EU first calibration, without having to be calibrated in the destination country. This will continue to be possible. In addition, these meters will be in future obtainable as MID compliant, which means a simple procedure similar to one used until now will still be possible for customers.

Which notified bodies exist?
In general, the national accrediting offices will be designated as notified bodies. Moreover, private companies can also become notified bodies. The following website publishes a list with notified bodies: http://europa.eu.int/comm/enterprise/nando-is/home