Resolution 6 of the 16th CGPM (1979)

Symbols for the litre

The 16th Conférence Générale des Poids et Mesures (CGPM),

recognizing the general principles adopted for writing the unit symbols in Resolution 7 of the 9th CGPM (1948),

considering that the symbol l for the unit litre was adopted by the Comité International des Poids et Mesures (CIPM) in 1879 and confirmed in the same Resolution of 1948,

considering also that, in order to avoid the risk of confusion between the letter l and the number 1, several countries have adopted the symbol L instead of l for the unit litre,

considering that the name litre, although not included in the Système International d'Unités, must be admitted for general use with the System,

decides, as an exception, to adopt the two symbols l and L as symbols to be used for the unit litre,

considering further that in the future only one of these two symbols should be retained,

invites the CIPM to follow the development of the use of these two symbols and to give the 18th CGPM its opinion as to the possibility of suppressing one of them.

DOI : 10.59161/CGPM1979RES6E

NOTE

The CIPM, in 1990, considered that it was still too early to choose a single symbol for the litre.