I do not think that it will turn back the hold that metric has on the mainland,
as only the very few informed know what a gill is and people do not usually see
the
oddball metric quantity on the bottle, they just see a cute little bottle. But
it could mean that one day there will be many goods marked in bizarre soft
metric quantities together with the nice round Imperial size in our shops. That
is, if companies should make full use of this European Court ruling. If
companies don't use
it, we will be spared this corruption in our shops. It has to be said that this
principle of free movement of goods almost always prevails, even when it
collides with issues like safety, environment or health.
This Diageo stuff is marked in the soft metric quantity of 0.071 litres.
----- Original Message -----
From: Paul Trusten
To: U.S. Metric Association
Cc: U.S. Metric Association
Sent: Saturday, 2007, October 06 16:54
Subject: [USMA:39527] Re: anti-metric in UK building materials? (was: Another
EU-setback, now from the European Court of Justice)
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
