Guidance

Market surveillance projects for gas and electricity meters

Guidance on the approach to ensure that instruments placed on the market conform to the Measuring Instruments Directive.

Applies to England, Scotland and Wales

Market surveillance

The Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) is responsible for market surveillance activities under the new approach metrology Directives covering:

  • non-automatic weighing instruments (NAWI)
  • water meters
  • measuring systems for liquids other than water
  • capacity serving measures
  • length measures
  • automatic weighing instruments

In keeping with the overall market surveillance activities implemented by OPSS, the Utilities team have adopted the same approach in assessing the compliance of gas and electricity meters.

Desired outcome

OPSS, on behalf of the UK, has a statutory duty under the metrology Directives to take appropriate measures to ensure that measuring instruments subject to legal metrological control comply with the applicable provisions of the Directives when placed on the market or put into use.

Enforcement policy

OPSS works with notified bodies, inspection authorities and individual manufacturers and importers to achieve the desired outcome of the Directives, employing a variety of techniques including market intelligence gathering, test purchases, product testing and any other innovative solutions to deliver the outcomes.

OPSS follows the approach identified by WELMEC (European Cooperation in Legal Metrology) in market surveillance guides 5.2 and 5.3 – Market Surveillance Guide (NAWI and MID) and Risk Assessment Guide for Market Surveillance: Weighing and Measuring Instruments – to fulfil a programme of interventions in the market place.

Each market surveillance activity is targeted at a sector, product type, manufacturer, distribution method or individual product following a risk assessment exercise.

When non-compliances are discovered the response will be both proportionate to the impact on consumers and the market place whilst remaining consistent with responses by other member states throughout Europe. OPSS fully participates in the activities of WELMEC Working Group 5 to ensure a high level of European consistency is achieved.

Where necessary, OPSS uses appropriate sanctions to ensure the outcomes identified in the Directives are achieved. A full range of sanctions is available from administrative actions through to a full European safeguard action including product withdrawal from the market. Regulated entities affected by OPSS’ use of sanctions have a right of appeal as laid out our Challenges and appeals guidance.

Summary report

As OPSS’ overarching objectives, the Utilities team initiated the UK’s first market surveillance project in relation to active electrical energy meters approved under Annex MI-003 of the MID.

Contact us

If you have a specific enquiry regarding the accuracy of your gas and/or electricity meter, please email OPSS.enquiries@businessandtrade.gov.uk.

Alternatively you can contact the OPSS helpdesk on 0121 345 1201, open Monday to Friday 09.00 to 17.00.

Or in writing to:

Office for Product Safety and Standards
4th Floor Cannon House
18 The Priory Queensway
Birmingham
B4 6BS

Updates to this page

Published 13 March 2014

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