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EU duty-free allowances doubleEU duty-free allowances double
1-Dec-2008
Restrictions on fragrances have been abolished and a new allowance of 16 litres of beer has been introduced
Travellers to EU countries from non-EU destinations can now bring back double the amount of duty-free wine, electrical goods and souvenirs under new regulations negotiated by UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown (then Chancellor of the Exchequer) in 2004. Some EU countries including Poland Italy and France are yet to apply the new allowances as they have not passed the neccessary legislation required by some member states.
The value allowance for travellers arriving in the UK from non-EU countries has increased from £145 to £300 ($223 to $461), restrictions on fragrances have been removed (although fragrances will still be counted as part of the value allowance) and a new allowance of 16 litres of beer has been introduced. The value allowance will again increase in January 2009 to £340 ($523) to take into account the falling value of the pound. Leisure passengers travelling to a member state by private plane and boat from outside the EU are entitled to a value allowance of £210 ($323), which is set to rise to £240 ($369) from January 1 2009.
The new allowances, which have not changed since 2004, also permit travellers to “mix and match” different types of liquor and tobacco products for the first time. Posters and leaflets will be displayed in ports and airports across the UK to inform passengers of the changes.
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