In
a nutshell, the European Commission proposes two main
changes:
(i) To
allow the display of "supplementary indications" (non-metric conversions)
alongside metric. This lifts the ban on non-metric equivalents that would
otherwise have taken effect in January 2010
(ii) To allow
indefinite use of imperial units for three purposes in the UK and Ireland:
draught alcohol (i.e. the pub pint), milk bottles (the "pinta"), and road
signs.
What it means - Proposal (i) does not mean that imperial units can
be used in their own right. Under the Directive, metric must be used for all
purposes, as this is the only expression of measurement information recognised
by EU law. The effect of (i) is that individuals and organisations may
privately give an equivalent in non-metric terms, alongside the required metric
indication.
Proposal (ii) lists thoses uses for which imperial units may be used
in their own right, that is, without metric being part of the transaction.
Thus, a pub may legally sell draught beer by the pint; they may not, however,
sell draught lemonade by the pint, or canned beer as a pint, since these latter
two uses are not exempt.
Therefore, EC statements need to be read carefully. For example,
Commissioner Günter Verheugen states:
"After an extensive EU-wide consultation exercise including the Great
British public ... we're delighted the results have confirmed what we always
knew to be the case: there is no problem whatsoever with Brits drinking in pint
glasses, operating in miles, or using pounds and ounces alongside their metric
equivalent".
Mr
Veheugen refers to pint glasses and miles,
which are exempt, but to pounds and ounces only in so far as they must appear
beside metric. Thus, he is acknowledging that pounds and ounces are unlawful -
but in such a way that might be interpreted that they are not.
The
EC's proposal and press releases may be read here (direct links to EC
site):
http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/site/en/com/2007/com2007_0510en01.pdf