But, Han, is this going to turn back the proper hold that the metric
system has on daily mainland EU life? I don't think so. But, examples
like this add more fodder to the cannon of anti-metric opinion in the UK
and the U.S. Gather together enough WOMBATistas, unfortunately, and you
get this result. I fear that, if metric is not done right in the U.S.
when its time really comes, that we will have Steve Thoburns from sea to
shining sea, an American Greengrocers' Revolt of massive proportions.
Notice again, that it is all over the romance of alcohol. To our UK
subscribers: how to the people there feel about construction
metrication? In other words, does UK anti-metricism extend to building
materials?
Han Maenen wrote:
The European Court of Justice has rendered our Weights and Measures
Acts practically powerless. It forces mainland EU-countries to accept
British units in the name of the sacred principle of 'free movement of
goods'. I had to read this in the Irish Times yesterday. The
British company Diageo sells 1/2 gill bottles of Bailey's Irish
Cream on the European mainland and may continue to so so in the
future. I wonder when the pint, the gallon, the fifth and the fl.oz.
will appear on what Diageo sells on the European mainland. EU
legislation on measuring units is now (in)definitely laughable.
Chapeau, European Court! I would nominate it to the BWMA
for the Inch Perfect Award.
Diageo toasts court ruling on Baileys minis
Jamie Smyth in Brussels
Diageo's successful "Baileys minis" series of single measure drinks
can remain on sale in continental Europe following a ruling yesterday
by Europe's highest court.
The European Court of Justice (ECJ) dismissed an argument by a German
drinks association, which was supported by the French and Belgian
governments, that the small measurements used by Diageo for the
Baileys minis series contravened EU law.
The case is the latest instalment in a long-running battle over the
imperial units of measurement used in the Republic and the UK and the
metric measurements commonly used in continental Europe.
On the continent the standard spirit measurements are 0.05 litres and
0.1 litres. But Baileys minis are sold in 0.071 litre bottles, which
in imperial measure is half a gill - the traditional unit of
measurement in the Irish drinks industry. However, German spirits
industry association Schutzverband der Spirituosen-Industrie took a
case in the German courts arguing that this measurement ran counter to
an EU regulation dating from 1974. It wanted to ban the import and
marketing of Baileys minis. The German court referred the legal
question to the ECJ for its interpretation of European law regarding
units of measurement.
In its ruling yesterday the ECJ found that "pre-packages with a
nominal volume of 0.071 litres" which are "lawfully manufactured and
marketed" in the Republic or the UK may also be sold in other EU
countries.
The court concluded that to prohibit the sale of goods in volumes of
0.071 litres that are lawfully marketed in the Republic and the UK
would be contrary to the free movement of goods, a core principle
within the 27 member EU.
The court also noted that other EU directives require that the volume
of liquid must be clearly marked on the packaging, ensuring that
consumers in continental Europe would be properly informed of the
precise volume.
Diageo has been selling its miniature bottles of Baileys' liquor in
Germany since 2004. It uses the same size in France, the Netherlands,
Belgium and Greece and has experienced considerable success with the
marketing initiative.
The court's finding in favour of Diageo reflects a trend in Europe
towards compromise on the thorny issue of different units of
measurement. After a 10-year fight with the Republic and the UK over
converting to metric measurements, last month the European Commission
finally granted a derogation to the states to enable them to continue
using specific imperial standards such as "the pint" indefinitely.
© 2007 The Irish Times
--
Paul Trusten, R.Ph.
Public Relations Director
U.S. Metric Association, Inc.
www.metric.org
3609 Caldera Blvd., Apt. 122
Midland TX 79707-2872 USA
+1(432)528-7724
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
http://oleapothecary.blog.com
