The Weights and Measures Act 1985 (Definitions of “Metre” and “Kilogram”) (Amendment) Order 2020

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Order)

This Order amends the Weights and Measures Act 1985 (“the Act”). It partly implements Commission Directive 2019/1258 amending, for the purpose of its adaptation to technical progress, the Annex to Council Directive 80/181/EEC as regards the definitions of SI base units (OJ L 196, 24.7.2019, p. 6). Other aspects of the Commission Directive are implemented in the Weights and Measures Act 1985 (Amendment) and Units of Measurement Regulations 1986 (Amendment) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/1211). The amendments in the Commission Directive update European law to reflect certain new definitions of expressions of measurement and indications of quantity of the International System of Units (SI) adopted by the General Conference on Weights and Measures at its 26th meeting which took place from 13th to 16th November 2018 (see The International System of Units (9th edition (2019)) edited by the International Bureau of Weights and Measures, Pavillon de Breteuil, F-92312 Sèvres Cedex France, ISBN 978-92-822-2272-0). The amendments do not alter the value of those units of measurement, but substitute new definitions expressed in terms of natural constants.

Article 2 amends the definition of the metre in Part 1 of Schedule 1 to the Act, and the definition of the kilogram in Part 5 of that Schedule.

An impact assessment has not been produced for this instrument as no, or no significant, impact on the private, voluntary or public sector is foreseen.