By Martin Banks - 19th November 2008
We have voted to put a stop to organised white van traffic
Peter Skinner
MEPs say duty free shopping at regional airports and at EU-external land borders should remain.
Deputies meeting in Strasbourg voted narrowly in favour of supporting the right of travellers to have access to duty free shops.
They adopted a parliamentary report on updating rules on excise duties in the EU by a small majority, with 328 in favour and 319 against with 34 abstentions.
An original proposal from the commission suggested that air and sea travellers should have access to duty free purchases only when their immediate destination was outside the EU.
But MEPs disagreed, saying those with a final destination outside the EU should also be able to take advantage of such shopping.
It means, for instance, that if someone is flying from Manchester to Shanghai via Paris, they will still be able to buy, for example, duty free whisky in Manchester, and not have to wait to make their purchase in Paris.
The commission’s proposal had the effect of abolishing duty free shops on external land borders but MEPs voted to keep them.
Other amendments set out whether there should be guidelines for the amount of alcohol and tobacco citizens can take across borders.
Reaction to this aspect of the package was swift with UK Socialist MEP Peter Skinner saying, "We have voted to put a stop to organised white van traffic full of products which will be resold on our streets by unlicensed traders undermining our small businesses and presenting a real danger to our young people.
“This is a recipe for anti-social behaviour on our estates when beer or cigarettes are sold for pocket money."
"Putting limits on cross-channel shopping will put a stop to the smuggling and resale of alcohol and cigarettes.Parliament has put in place guidelines by which our customs offices can do their job."
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