But they've been proposing a unified taxation system for several years now in Brussels--a significant number of people with clout are taking it very seriously.

The original decimalisation proposal was for the pound to be replaced with something else (an Brit-dollar?) that would be worth ten shillings, with 100 cents to the B$, which is what happened in Australia: the Aussies were mostly) quite happy with the A$ and didn't miss the £. I think it was ailny the conservatives whoi wanted to keep the £. Most people of my age and under are perfectly at ease with the decimal (centesimal!) £--you get used to any change in time.
Steve