Statutory Instruments

1979 No. 132

WEIGHTS AND MEASURES

The Alcohol Tables Regulations 1979

Made

8th February 1979

Laid before Parliament

12th February 1979

Coming into Operation

1st April 1979

The Secretary of State, being a Minister designated(1) for the purposes of section 2(2) of the European Communities Act 1972 in relation to the method of determining or expressing alcoholic strength, in exercise of the powers conferred by that section, hereby makes the following Regulations:—

1. These Regulations may be cited as the Alcohol Tables Regulations 1979 and shall come into operation on 1st April 1979.

2.—(1) In these Regulations:—

“alcoholic strength by volume” means the ratio of the volume of alcohol present in a mixture of water and ethanol at 20°C to the total volume of the mixture at the same temperature expressed as parts of alcohol per 100 parts of the mixture;

“alcoholic strength by mass” means the ratio of the mass of alcohol present in a mixture of water and ethanol to the total mass of the mixture expressed as parts of alcohol per 100 parts of the mixture;

“the Directive” means Council Directive No. 76/766/EEC.

(2) These Regulations shall extend to Northern Ireland

3.—(1) On and after 1st January 1980 figures for alcoholic strength by volume and alcoholic strength by mass shall be derived from alcoholometric tables drawn up in accordance with the formula shown in section 4 of the Annex to the Directive on the basis of measurements made with alcoholometers or alcohol hydrometers marked with the mark of EEC initial verification referred to in Council Directive No. 76/765/EEC, or with instruments providing at least an equivalent degree of accuracy, and shall not be questioned on grounds connected with the use of such tables or instruments.

(2) References in any enactment or instrument to “alcoholic strength by volume” and “alcoholic strength by mass” shall, unless the context otherwise requires, be references to those expressions as defined in these Regulations.

(3) The symbols used to indicate alcoholic strength by volume and alcoholic strength by mass shall be as follows:—

(i)“% vol” for alcoholic strength by volume; and

(ii)“% mas” for alcoholic strength by mass.

John Fraser

Minister of State for Prices and Consumer Protection

8th February 1979

EXPLANATORY NOTE

These Regulations implement Council Directive No. 76/766/EEC relating to alcohol tables. They provide definitions of “alcoholic strength by volume” and “alcoholic strength by mass”, and symbols to be used for both, in accordance with the Directive.

The Regulations provide that on and after 1st January 1980 figures for alcoholic strength by volume and alcoholic strength by mass shall be derived from tables to be drawn up in accordance with the formula shown in the Annex to the Directive on the basis of measurements made with alcoholometers or alcohol hydrometers marked with the mark of EEC initial verification referred to in Council Directive No. 76/765/EEC (implemented in the United Kingdom by the Alcoholometers and Alcohol Hydrometers (EEC Requirements) Regulations 1977 (S.I. 1977/1753)), or with instruments of equivalent accuracy.

(1)

S.I. 1977/1718.