TradePost Archives > January 15, 2009 > this article

EU indefinitely postpones metric-only labeling requirement

January 15, 2009
World Trade\Interactive

The European Union has agreed to extend indefinitely regulatory provisions allowing all imports from the U.S. to bear labels expressing measurements in metric or non-metric terms, according to a Jan. 12 press release from the National Association of Manufacturers. NAM Senior Director of International Business Policy Shaun Donnelly said the EU’s proposed “metric only” regulations “could have imposed severe costs on U.S. exporters,” especially small and medium-sized manufacturers. Donnelly added that by resolving a dispute that has lingered for more than 20 years “the EU has eliminated uncertainty and provided time for all the necessary formalities to be adopted across Europe without disrupting business operations.” The 27 EU member states are expected to implement the amended directive into their national laws and regulations in 2009, he added, so that the new rules will be in place by Jan. 1, 2010.