The Council of the European Union has formally adopted a directive updating the requirements for measuring instruments placed on the EU single market, paving the way for the wider deployment of electric vehicle chargers, compressed gas dispensers and thermal energy meters critical to the green transition.
The revised Measuring Instruments Directive (MID) introduces common standards for electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) and gas dispensers, while placing a strong emphasis on digitalisation and smart metering. It also supports the use of emerging gases such as hydrogen, aimed at accelerating the decarbonisation of industrial processes.
Under the updated framework, the scope of the MID has been extended to cover all electric vehicle supply equipment, including infrastructure serving rail, maritime and aviation transport.
The directive introduces new technical requirements, including provisions ensuring that EV charging cables can be easily replaced if damaged or stolen, without affecting device performance. It also updates display requirements: gas and electricity meters will be required to show measurement data directly on the meter or via remote display, while EV chargers and compressed gas dispensers may display information on vehicle dashboards or on users’ smartphones and other end-user devices.
The reform also addresses issues such as vandalism and cable theft at EV charging stations, which have posed operational challenges in several Member States.
Following the Council’s approval, the legislative act has now been adopted. The directive will enter into force 20 days after its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.
Member States will have 24 months to transpose the new rules into national law. The updated requirements will apply 30 months after entry into force. However, EV chargers and compressed gas dispensers — newly covered under the directive — will benefit from a longer transitional period of 48 months.
The Measuring Instruments Directive was first introduced in 2004 and revised in 2014 to align with the EU’s new legislative framework, establishing harmonised obligations for economic operators and standardised conformity assessment procedures.
However, the existing rules did not adequately address newer technologies and contained requirements that were no longer technology-neutral, particularly in relation to display functions. These limitations have slowed the adoption of modern digital solutions.
The latest revision seeks to modernise the framework, improve consumer transparency and ensure that measurement technologies keep pace with Europe’s climate and digital ambitions.
