Meeting of the European harmonisation body for software in regulated measuring instruments

The WELMEC Working Group 7 "Software" [1] of the European Cooperation in Legal Metrology (WELMEC) [2] met online for its 29th meeting on 28 February 2024. The working group is chaired by PTB's Division 8.5 "Metrological IT".

WELMEC Working Group 7 "Software" develops technical interpretations of the essential requirements of the European Measuring Instruments Directive (MID) and incorporates these into WELMEC Guide 7.2 and the software guidelines derived from it [3]. It thus supports manufacturers of measuring instruments and notified bodies in Europe. WELMEC Working Group 7 "Software" has 38 members from the European member states, representatives of relevant European industry associations and delegates from the EU Commission.

PTB's Department 8.5 "Metrological Information Technology" has been leading the working group for many years. Special topics are new and updated guidelines for essential technological requirements for software-controlled measuring instruments that are subject to legal metrology.

The EU Commission and WELMEC have drawn up a series of such guidelines to ensure coherent application of the Measuring Instruments Directives. The guidelines are approved by the EU Commission's "Measuring Instruments" working group [4], which is made up of representatives from European authorities, industry associations, notified bodies and European standardisation organisations. The European Cooperation in Legal Metrology WELMEC (European Cooperation in Legal Metrology) is the contact point in Europe for trustworthy advice on legal metrology issues. WELMEC is a regional legal metrology organisation whose members are the representative national authorities responsible for legal metrology in the EU and EFTA countries. WELMEC harmonises the application of the European directives (2014/31/EU and 2014/32/EU) in the member states.

(F. Thiel, FB 8.5, florian.thiel(at)ptb.de)

[1] WG 7 Software (welmec.org)

[2] WELMEC

[3] Guides (welmec.org)

[4] Measuring instruments - Guidance documents - European Commission (europa.eu)