Unauthorised application of EC signs and marks, etc
12.—(1) Subject to paragraph (2) below, any person who, in the case of a relevant instrument,
(a)not being an electricity meter examiner or a person acting under the authority of an electricity meter examiner, marks in any manner any seal or plate used or designed for use for the reception of any EC sign or mark;
(b)not being authorised or required to do so under any provision of these Regulations, marks any such instrument with any EC sign or mark;
(c)forges, counterfeits or, except pursuant to a duty imposed on an electricity meter examiner, in any way alters or defaces any EC sign or mark;
(d)removes any EC sign or mark and inserts it into or attaches it onto any other relevant instrument; or
(e)makes any alteration in the instrument after any EC sign or mark has been applied to it in accordance with these Regulations, so that it no longer complies with the requirements of the Directive on electrical energy meters;
shall be guilty of an offence.
(2) A person shall not be guilty of an offence under paragraph (1) above by reason solely of the destruction or obliteration of any sign, mark, seal or plate, in the course of the adjustment or repair of any instrument of a category to which the Directive on electrical energy meters applies, by or by the duly authorised agent of the person who is a manufacturer of, or regularly engaged in the business of repairing, such instruments.
(3) Any person who supplies electricity through any relevant instrument, which to his knowledge—
(a)bears any EC sign or mark which is a forgery or counterfeit, or which has been transferred from another instrument, or which has been altered or defaced otherwise than as permitted by virtue of paragraph (2) above; or
(b)does not comply with the requirements of the Directive on electrical energy meters by reason of any alteration made in it after any EC sign or mark was applied to it in accordance with these Regulations;
shall be guilty of an offence.