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EU allows pints and miles to stay on in metric world


EU flag 		but the acre is going

The European parliament on Tuesday 16 Dec 2008 saved the pint and mile from EU extinction, saving British and Irish drinkers from having to order half litres or drive at under 110 kilometres per hour.
Under the measure, agreed without a vote at a second reading in the Strasbourg chamber, traders will also be able to display imperial and metric measurements side by side in shops and elsewhere.

Selling land by the acre to be banned by EU


EU flag
Selling land by the acre to be banned under new EU ruling

People in Britain will lose the right to sell land in acres under a new Brussels ruling nodded through by the Government. In a low-key meeting, a junior minister agreed last week to abolish the ancient imperial measurement and replace it with the metric equivalent 'hectare' from 2010. The UK previously had an opt-out, technically known as a 'derogation', from the EU's use of some metric measurements, which allowed the continued use of acres for the pruposes of land registration. But from January 1, 2010, the unit, which dates back to the 13th century, will be banned.

Crazy Judge


justice statue 		Judge: Speeding Not 'As Bad' in Miles

When police caught driver David Clarke flying down a road at 180 kilometers per hour this month, he looked likely to lose his license.
But a country judge reduced the charge and let the 31-year-old information technology worker stay on the road after concluding the speed did not look as bad when converted into miles, or 112 mph.
'I am not excusing his driving. He should not have been traveling at that speed,' District Court Judge Denis McLoughlin said in his verdict, delivered Tuesday in County Donegal, northwest Ireland.

European Commission misleads on metrics


Günter Verheugen 		Günter Verheugen 'misleads' on metrics

The European Commission is accused of misleading the public after saying it will allow Britain to retain pints, miles and ounces alongside metric measurements.

The UK Metric Association (UKMA) said Verheugen's statement does not mean that traders can go back to weighing and pricing in imperial measures. Just as they do now, traders will have to weigh or measure goods in metric units (kilograms, litres or metres) at the checkout and also display prices in metric units - with the option of a supplementary indication in non-metric units.

Picture: Günter Verheugen

EU given up on metric - answer is NO


EU flag 		Comment: EU gives up on metric Britain

Is this a victory? Not really. It’s just maintaining the status quo - half metrication which infuriates a large proportion of the public.

The media have finally caught up with the news that our masters in Federal Europe have, at least for the time being, given up on forced metrication in England.

However, despite the headlines boldy declaring that Federal Europe has given up on metricating England, they are still very much committed to ensuring that foreign metric measurements are here to stay. Anything you sell still has to be weighed or measured in metric with our own imperial weights and measures as an additional, less prominent, piece of information. You will still be prosecuted by Trading Standards for not using foreign metric weights and measures even though imperial is used by more people than metric.

EU gives up on metric Britain


Steve Thoburn 		Britain can carry on using imperial measurements

Europe's Industry Commissioner Gunter Verheugen said: "There is not now and never will be any requirement to drop imperial measurements."

European Union commissioners have ruled that Britain can carry on using imperial measurements such as pints, pounds and miles.

The decision will not affect current law on metric measurements, but means imperial equivalents can be used too. It follows years of wrangling between London and Brussels over metrication.

Picture: Steve Thoburn made headlines around the world over his campaign.

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