Changes To Eu Duty Free Rules

[chiang mai]

According to the Pattaya Mail the EU has significantly changed the rules governing duty free arriving in the EU. The new rules state that, and I para phrase here:

Duty free purchased outside the EU will be allowed into the EU but only at the first EU airport destination. If the passenger has to transit to a second EU airport the duty free will be confiscated before boarding the departing aircraft.

The one exception to the above is if the transiting passenger buys the duty free on board an EU aircraft that originated outside the EU and the airline places the goods in a sealed bag that identifies the airline.

Given the above scenario any passenger flying from Bangkok to say, Frankfort or Paris will be allowed to carry an appropriate amount of duty free. But, if the passenger then transits Frankfort or Paris and goes on to say Copenhagen, Amsterdam or London they will loses their duty free - unless of course the duty free was purchased on board a EU plane and is placed in a sealed bag.

It all seems rather odd and I can't quite figure out the logic of the new laws. Suffice to say that direct flights rather connecting ones will clearly soon be in higher demand. Brits flying via Schiphol be warned.

[astral]

Thanks for the heads up.

My guess is this is security paranoia about liquids on aircraft.

Here in India they are very strict about only security checking one bag per passenger and that includes duty free items.

If you buy duty free it is delivered to you at the gate, AFTER you have cleared all the checks.

What a crazy world we live in.

[Axel]

Guess, this has more to do with the security rules where passengers are not allowed carrying any liquids, pastes or gels in containers larger than 100 ml. Those items will be confiscated at security checkpoints, even if they were bought at licensed duty-free shops at the originating airport. The rule also applies to items travelers purchase while in flight bound for an EU airport if they're aboard a non-EU carrier.

Thanks to the terrorists.

[londonthai]

these rules were already introduced on 6.11 - there is a thread or two somewhere around

[LaoPo]

these rules were already introduced on 6.11 - there is a thread or two somewhere around

Correct, here:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?sh...c=90456&hl=

But it's just the handluggage which has new rules.

LaoPo

[LaReina]

This makes no sense. It's like saying if I arrive in Germany from switzerland with a bottle of whatever, then drive into spain after being admitted into the EU that I have to pay duty on what I have on my person.

Something does not sound right.

Edited November 22, 2006 by LaReina

[briley]

It isn't the duty free that is affected, it is the security aspect. If your duty free is not in the 'correct' type of bag you can't get onto an aircraft.