Metrication in The United Kingdom - Regulatory Aspects

Regulatory Aspects

Further information: European units of measurement directives

Traditionally weights and measures legislation in the United Kingdom only applied to trade, but when the United Kingdom joined the European Economic Community, she had to align her legislation with EEC directives that were in place. These directives included EEC directive 71/354/EEC which related to weights and measures and which required the United Kingdom to formally define in law a number of units of measure, hitherto formally undefined in law including those for electric current (ampere), electric potential difference (volt), temperature (degree Celsius and kelvin), pressure (pascal), energy (joule) and power (watt).