ITRC Annual Report calls for united approach to industry challenges

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The International Travel Retail Confederation (ITRC) has issued the first Annual Report of its activities and has called for more support from the industry.

Formed after intra-EU duty-free abolition (and previously known as the International Duty Free Confederation), the ITRC has pledged to be a focal point for the industry on matters that hold a political dimension in Europe and globally. The ITRC, under the chairmanship of Alain Falque of Aeroports de Paris since last May and the ITRC Secretariat, headed by Keith Spinks since April 2000, has formulated policies across a range of key issues, and responded to issues affecting the travel-retail business in the EU. These include the application of the tax-paid regime to EU travel-retail situations and the World Health Organisation's Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC).

ITRC Director-General Keith Spinks said: "We have been active on many fronts in order to position the industry as a unique trading environment. The thrust of the Confederation's activity has been on the key area of the application of the tax-paid regime that followed the abolition of intra-EU duty free. However we are growing increasingly concerned about the WHO's unjustified assault on the duty-free industry and the threat to the travel-retail. Our activities on these two issues alone are crucial for both the EU travel-retail business and EU accession countries. In my view it is more important now than ever for the travel-retail industry to support the ITRC as it provides a cohesive front at the European political level."

The ITRC last year initiated a survey of businesses in the post-abolition era. But to date less than 10% of members have responded, and the organisation has called on the industry to return questionnaires to help update its research.

The ITRC has also explored links with Tax Free World Association and the two groups have agreed to cooperate more closely to improve industry discussion. The ITRC said it also hopes to involve the Travel Value Association in its activities.