RECOMMENDATION FOR SECOND READING on the Council common position for adopting a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Council Directive 80/181/EEC on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to units of measurement

4.12.2008 - (11915/3/2008 – C6‑0425/2008 – 2007/0187(COD)) - ***II

Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection
Rapporteur: Arlene McCarthy

DRAFT EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION

on the Council common position for adopting a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Council Directive 80/181/EEC on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to units of measurement

(11915/3/2008 – C6‑0425/2008 – 2007/0187(COD))

(Codecision procedure: second reading)

The European Parliament,

–   having regard to the Council common position (11915/3/2008 – C6‑0425/2008),

–   having regard to its position at first reading[1] on the Commission proposal to Parliament and the Council (COM(2007)0510),

–   having regard to Article 251(2) of the EC Treaty,

–   having regard to Rule 67 of its Rules of Procedure,

–   having regard to the recommendation for second reading of the Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection (A6‑0476/2008),

1.  Approves the common position;

2.  Notes that the act is adopted in accordance with the common position;

3.  Instructs its President to sign the act with the President of the Council pursuant to Article 254(1) of the EC Treaty;

4.  Instructs its Secretary-General to sign the act, once it has been verified that all the procedures have been duly completed, and, in agreement with the Secretary-General of the Council, to have it published in the Official Journal of the European Union;

5.  Instructs its President to forward its position to the Council and Commission.

• [1]  OJ C 297 E, 20.11.2008, p. 105.

EXPLANATORY STATEMENT

Following the Parliament's approval of the Commission's proposal without amendment in First Reading, the Council adopted a Common Position which adds further provisions to reflect changes to the International Standards (SI) system and to provide for a Commission report-back on developments in relation to Directive 80/181/EEC, in particular as concerns the smooth functioning of the internal market and international trade, ten years after the entry into force of this amending directive. Accordingly, the Common Position has inserted a new Article 6b on the Commission report on these effects, and added a corresponding new recital (4). The Council has also drawn attention to the need to further the acceptance in third country markets of products labelled only in SI units, with a new recital (5).

The changes to the Commission proposal are technical and reflect developments within the SI system singled out in the resolution of the 2007 General Conference on Weights and Measures, by making reference to additional new units of measurement (kelvin), and by making the "radian" and "steridian" dimensionless.

On behalf of the Committee of Internal Market and Consumer Protection and pursuant to the Coordinator's decision of 24 June 2008, the Chair accordingly recommends the approval by the European Parliament of the Common position in second reading without amendment.

PROCEDURE

Title	Units of measurement
References	11915/3/2008 – C6-0425/2008 – 2007/0187(COD)
Date of Parliament’s first reading – P number	29.11.2007                     T6-0546/2007
Commission proposal	COM(2007)0510 - C6-0277/2007
Date receipt of common position announced in plenary	20.11.2008
Committee responsible        Date announced in plenary	IMCO 20.11.2008
Rapporteur(s)        Date appointed	Arlene McCarthy 3.10.2007
Discussed in committee	1.12.2008
Date adopted	2.12.2008
Result of final vote	+: –: 0:	28 0 0
Members present for the final vote	Gabriela Creţu, Janelly Fourtou, Evelyne Gebhardt, Martí Grau i Segú, Małgorzata Handzlik, Malcolm Harbour, Christopher Heaton-Harris, Anna Hedh, Edit Herczog, Eija-Riitta Korhola, Lasse Lehtinen, Toine Manders, Catiuscia Marini, Arlene McCarthy, Catherine Neris, Bill Newton Dunn, Zita Pleštinská, Zuzana Roithová, Heide Rühle, Leopold Józef Rutowicz, Christel Schaldemose, Andreas Schwab, Marianne Thyssen, Barbara Weiler
Substitute(s) present for the final vote	Emmanouil Angelakas, Brigitte Fouré, Joel Hasse Ferreira, Anja Weisgerber