3. 1. 85 Official Journal of the European Communities No L 2/11 11 (Acts whose publication is not obligatory) COUNCIL COUNCIL DIRECTIVE of 18 December 1984 amending Directive 80/181/EEC on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to units of measurement (85/1/EEC) THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, and in particular Article 100 thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the Commission (), Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament (3), Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social Committee (%), Whereas at international level the definition of the SI unit of measurement of lengﬁh has been amended by the 17th General Conference on Weights and Measures (CGPM); whereas this new definition shall be used at Community level; Whereas in a recommendation of 22 May 1981 the World Health Organization requested that the millimetre of mercury be retained in addition to the kilopascal as a unit for the measurement of the pressure of blood and other body fluids ; whereas it is advisable for the Community to adopt this solution ; Whereas the barn is the unit universally used to measure the effective cross-sectional area on the occasion of nuclear reactions ; whereas experience has shown that this specific unit could not easily be replaced by an SI unit; whereas it is therefore necessary to authorize its use in the nuclear field; Whereas therefore Directive 80/181/EEC (*) should be amended accordingly, OJ No C 155, 14. 6. 1983, p. 10. OJ No C 242, 12. 9. 1983, p. 101. OJ No C 341, 19. 12. 1983, p. 1. O] No L 39, 15. 2. 1980, p. 40.