Press Release: New regulation paves the way to reducing confiscation of duty free liquids at Community airports for passengers arriving from third countries

The Commission has adopted a Regulation to address the disruption faced by air passengers who arrive from third countries carrying duty free liquids bought abroad and who wish to transfer at an EU airport. At present, any quantity of liquid bought outside the EU that is greater than the limited amounts currently permitted in hand-baggage must be abandoned at the EU airport since there is no way of checking that it has been subject to similar security standards as liquids on sale in EU airports. The Regulation will allow the Commission to verify whether equivalent standards are applied in a third country and whether the overall standard of aviation security is satisfactory, thereby allowing liquids bought in duty free shops there to be allowed on aircraft in the EU. This will allow transit passengers arriving from these countries to carry their purchases onto their internal EU flight.

European Commission: DG Communication: MEMO/07/317 http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=MEMO/07/317&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en

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