the nominal capacity Vn is the volume which is marked on the bottle; it is the volume of liquid which the latter is deemed to contain when it is filled in the conditions of use for which it is intended;
the brim capacity of a bottle is the volume of liquid it contains when filled to the brim;
the actual capacity of a bottle is the volume of liquid it in fact contains when it is filled exactly under the conditions corresponding theoretically to the nominal capacity;
to a constant level,
to a constant vacuity.
The distance between the theoretical filling level for the nominal capacity and the brim level and the difference between the brim capacity and the nominal capacity, known as the volume of expansion or vacuity, shall be perceptibly constant for all bottles of the same type, that is, for all bottles made to the same design.
| Nominal capacity Vn in millilitres | Maximum permissible errors | |
|---|---|---|
| as a % of Vn | in millilitres | |
| from 50 to 100 | — | 3 |
| from 100 to 200 | 3 | — |
| from 200 to 300 | — | 6 |
| from 300 to 500 | 2 | — |
| from 500 to 1 000 | — | 10 |
| from 1 000 to 5 000 | 1 | — |
The maximum permissible error in the brim capacity shall be the same as the maximum permissible error in the corresponding nominal capacity.
The systematic exploitation of tolerances shall be prohibited.
When this department has given its approval, it shall inform the competent departments of the other Member States and the Commission thereof within one month.
The manufacturer shall, on his own responsibility, affix the sign 3 (reversed epsilon) referred to in Article 6 of Council Directive No 71/316/EEC(1) of 26 July 1971 relating to common provisions for both measuring instruments and methods of metrological control, as last amended by the Act(2) concerning the conditions of accession and the adjustments to the Treaties, certifying that the bottle meets the requirements of this Directive and of its Annexes. However, the date, origin and reference number provided for in Annex I, subsection 6.3 to the same Directive shall not be required.
This sign shall be at least 3 mm high.
This statistical sampling check shall be carried out in accordance with the accepted methods of quality acceptance inspection. Its effectiveness shall be comparable to that of the reference method specified in Annex II.
on its side, on the bottom rim or on the bottom:
an indication of its nominal capacity in litres, centilitres or millilitres in figures at least 6 mm high, if the nominal capacity is greater than 100 cl, 4 mm high if it is from 100 cl down to but not including 20 cl and 3 mm high if it is not more than 20 cl, followed by the symbol for the unit of measurement used or, where appropriate, by the name of the unit in accordance with the provisions of Council Directive No 71/354/EEC(3) of 18 October 1971 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to units of measurement, as amended by the Act concerning the conditions of accession and the adjustments to the Treaties;
the manufacturer's identifying mark prescribed in the first paragraph of Section 5;
the sign prescribed in the third paragraph of Section 5;
On the bottom or on the bottom rim, in such a manner as to avoid confusion with the previous indication, in figures of the same minimum height as those expressing the corresponding nominal capacity, according to the method or methods of filling for which the bottle is intended:
an indication of the brim capacity expressed in centilitres and not followed by the symbol cl,
and/or an indication of the distance in millimetres from the brim level to the filling level corresponding to the nominal capacity, followed by the symbol mm.
Other indications may appear on the bottle provided they do not give rise to confusion with the compulsory indications.