Non-Automatic Weighing Instruments Directive (NAWI) 2014/31/EU
Directive 2014/31/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 26 February 2014 on the harmonisation of the laws of the Member States relating to the making available on the market of non-automatic weighing instruments — the "NAWI Directive" — replaced Directive 2009/23/EC and has applied since 20 April 2016. It covers non-automatic weighing instruments — instruments that require the intervention of an operator during weighing — used in legal metrology applications: trade, calculation of tolls, taxes, premiums, fines; weight-based pricing for healthcare; determination of mass for the application of laws or regulations; assay opinions in legal proceedings; manufactured medicines on prescription; price-to-pay in direct sales to the public; and similar applications. Published as OJ L 96, 29.3.2014, p. 107.
Legal status and timeline
- Adoption: 26 February 2014.
- Date of application: 20 April 2016.
- Repeal of Directive 2009/23/EC: 20 April 2016.
- Status in May 2026: applies.
Scope: products covered
Article 1(1) applies to "non-automatic weighing instruments" — defined in Article 2(1) as "a weighing instrument that requires the intervention of an operator during weighing". The Directive distinguishes:
- Article 1(2)(a) instruments — used for the legal-metrology applications listed in Article 1(2)(a)(i)–(vi). For these uses, conformity assessment by a Notified Body is required.
- Article 1(2)(b) instruments — used for all other applications. For these, the manufacturer may self-declare under simpler procedures and no specific conformity assessment annex applies — although the instrument itself need not be CE-marked under the NAWI Directive for non-legal-metrology uses.
Essential requirements (Annex I)
Annex I sets metrological and technical requirements: accuracy classes (I — special accuracy, II — high accuracy, III — medium accuracy, IIII — ordinary accuracy); maximum permissible errors; influence quantities and disturbances; suitability; means for adjustment; sensitivity; durability; protection against tampering; markings and inscriptions.
Conformity assessment procedures
Article 13 and Annex II provide the routes for Article 1(2)(a) instruments:
- Module B (EU type-examination) + Module D (production quality assurance);
- Module B + Module F (product verification);
- Module D1 (production QA without prior B);
- Module F1 (product verification without prior B);
- Module G (unit verification).
Notified Body involvement is mandatory in all routes. The four-digit identification number appears next to the CE marking. See Notified Bodies.
The CE marking and supplementary metrology marking
Article 16 requires the CE marking together with the supplementary metrology marking. As under the Measuring Instruments Directive, the supplementary marking consists of the capital letter "M" and the last two digits of the year of its affixing, enclosed in a rectangle. The Notified Body identification number follows. Combined example: "CE M21 1234".
Instruments for Article 1(2)(b) applications (general weighing) do not bear the CE mark with M+year under this Directive; they may be CE-marked under other applicable acts (e.g., LVD, EMC).
Technical documentation
Annex II Module-specific provisions set the documentation contents. Retention: 10 years (Article 7(7)). See technical documentation.
EU Declaration of Conformity
Article 14 and Annex IV. See EU Declaration of Conformity.
Inscriptions and information on the instrument
Annex III sets the inscriptions required on instruments for Article 1(2)(a) applications: manufacturer's name, accuracy class, maximum capacity, minimum capacity, verification scale interval, and others. These inscriptions complement the CE and supplementary metrology markings.
Harmonised standards
EN 45501 — metrological aspects of non-automatic weighing instruments — is the principal harmonised standard, corresponding to the international OIML R 76 recommendation. See harmonised standards.
Recent and upcoming changes
The NAWI Directive has not undergone structural amendment since 2016. EN 45501 has been revised periodically to align with OIML R 76; the current dated edition is published in the OJEU. The Commission's metrology policy continues to focus on alignment between the NAWI Directive and the MID for category-overlap cases (e.g., automatic catchweighing instruments covered by MI-006 vs. non-automatic instruments).
Related legislation
- Measuring Instruments Directive 2014/32/EU — covers automatic weighing instruments under MI-006; the two directives together cover the legal metrology of weighing.
- Low Voltage Directive 2014/35/EU — applies in parallel to electrical aspects.
- EMC Directive 2014/30/EU — applies in parallel for EMC.
- ATEX Directive 2014/34/EU — applies in parallel where instruments are used in explosive atmospheres.
Common errors
- Missing supplementary metrology marking. The M+year+NB number is mandatory; CE alone is insufficient for Article 1(2)(a) instruments.
- Mis-classification. A scale used for direct retail sales to the public is Article 1(2)(a) regardless of whether the seller intends it for "informal" use.
- Wrong accuracy class. Class III is the most common for retail; Class II for precision laboratory use; Class I for assay; Class IIII for crude or low-precision applications.
- Verification scale interval mis-marking. The verification scale interval (e) and the actual scale interval (d) may differ; Annex III requires both to be marked where they differ.
Sources
- Directive 2014/31/EU (NAWI) — EUR-Lex consolidated text.
- European Commission — NAWI sector page.
- OIML R 76 — International recommendation for non-automatic weighing.
- Commission Notice — Blue Guide 2022 — EUR-Lex.