The 7 most important points for MID certification of charging stations in Switzerland. MID is a hotly debated topic - even though METAS has announced that the regulations will not be strictly applied until mid-2027, charging stations without a billing solution are likely to be exempt from the MID.
The MID is currently a hotly debated topic - even though METAS has announced that the regulations will not be strictly applied until mid-2027, charging stations without a billing solution are likely to be exempt from the MID. But what does MID actually mean and what relevance does it have for charging stations for electric cars? In the following article, we give you an overview of the most important facts about the topic.
What is the MID?
The MID is the Measuring Instruments Directive ( M easuring I nstruments D irective) of the EU. It is an EU directive that aims to harmonize the legal requirements for measuring instruments within the EU and the European Economic Area. It lays down standards that apply not only to measuring instruments for electricity, but also for gas, water and heat. The main aim of the directive is to ensure that measuring instruments provide accurate and reliable measurements.
Why MID?
The legislator wants to ensure that customers who purchase electricity, gas, water or heat receive an accurate measurement result for billing purposes. The MID therefore serves consumer protection, but also trade.
Why is the MID relevant for charging stations?
The MID sets standards for measuring and billing electricity consumption during the charging process. It regulates which technical conditions the meter of a charging station must comply with in order to receive an MID certificate in accordance with EU standards. This concerns, for example, the accuracy class or the result display on the charging station.
Does the MID also apply in Switzerland?
As an EU directive, the MID is not directly applicable to Switzerland from a legal point of view. In Switzerland, the Federal Law on Metrology (MessG) applies, which in turn is based on the Ordinance on Measuring Instruments (MessMV) and the Ordinance of the FDJP on Measuring Instruments for Electrical Energy and Power (EMmV). The Measuring Instruments Ordinance and the MID are largely harmonized so that, for example, MID certification from the EU is also recognized in Switzerland. The provisions of the MID are therefore also applied in Switzerland via harmonization. METAS, the Swiss Federal Institute of Metrology, is responsible for compliance with these regulations and for checking electricity meters in charging stations in Switzerland, among other things.
In which area of application is an MID-certified charging station required?
An MID-certified charging station is required in areas where a measuring device with a billing purpose is installed. In other words: If charging processes are billed separately from the general billing for electricity consumption by the user, the provisions of the MessMV and EMmV apply.
Example 1: In a shared underground car park in which several parties use the charging infrastructure and are billed for charging processes, MID-certified charging stations are expected to have to be installed from June 30, 2027. Existing installations can probably be operated without MID-certified charging stations until June 30, 2042. (More information on the dates in the next section.)
Example 2: In a detached house where there is no separate billing purpose for electromobility and billing is via the general meter, no MID-certified charging station is required even after 2027.
When will an MID-certified charging station be required in Switzerland?
METAS is currently preparing a revision of the EMmV and completed the consultation of interested parties at the end of 2023. At the time of publication of this article (March 2024), METAS assumes that the amendment to the ordinance will come into force on July 1, 2024.
As things stand at present, METAS will not strictly apply the MessMV regulations for meters in charging stations until around 2027. Before then, non-MID-certified charging stations can probably also be installed in Switzerland for billing purposes and operated until 2042.
In its explanatory notes on the amendment to the EMmV, METAS states that charging stations that do not comply with the EMmV regulations may be installed until June 30, 2027, provided that the error limits are observed. These measuring devices may be used until June 30, 2042, even if their accuracy class does not comply with the EMmV.
Is Easee working on MID-certified charging stations?
Yes, Easee will launch MID-certified charging stations in 2024. At the eCar Expo in Stockholm in February 2024, Easee announced that it will take orders for the first MID-certified charging station in Q2 2024.
