Imperial way of life earns a reprieve

Amid the welter of directives and regulations from Brussels, it must be some consolation for Irish consumers, manufacturers and other business that a stay of execution on some of our most revered institutions appears to be within our grasp . . . plans to eradicate ounces, feet and inches look likely to gain a further 10-year breathing space, saving businesses here and in Britain and the US billions in labelling costs.

The European Commission recommendation that a legal requirement to label products only in metric units be postponed until 2010 will be a relief to companies still struggling to adapt to the brave new world of the euro.

As it stands, most manufacturers label their products in both imperial and metric units but, under existing EU legislation, that was due to come to an end this year.

The delay may have been the result of intense lobbying in Brussels by industry representatives but it is the consumer who will probably be most grateful. Few have yet made the shift in mindset from ounces and pounds, inches and feet to grammes and millimetres.

The proposed postponement still has to receive the imprimatur of the European Parliament but, for once, it appears it and the Commission will be in absolute accord as MEPs recognise the difficulties inherent in yet another change as EMU is bedded down in the core members of the Union.

Some things, however, will never change. Pints of milk and beer as well as miles have previously won permanent exemptions from the harmonisation policy on units of measurement.