EU adopts rules relaxing airport restrictions on duty-free liquids

EU adopts rules relaxing airport restrictions on duty-free liquids

	Published : Tue, 31 Jul 2007 12:12 By : Agencies Print this Story

BRUSSELS (Thomson Financial) - The European Commission said it has adopted rules which relaxes restrictions on passengers from third countries who bring duty-free liquids bought abroad into the bloc when transferring 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 EU airports for security reasons.

The laws 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 on to aircraft leaving the bloc.

The EU executive said this is conditional on 'good levels of aviation security' at these airports, verified on a case-by-case basis.

'If the Commission considers the security measures applied by third countries in relation to liquids as equivalent and the country also applies satisfactory overall standards of aviation security, the Commission will decide to grant exemptions,' the commission said in a statement.

The first decisions on exemptions are expected in the autumn of this year.

'This will allow transit passengers arriving from these countries to carry their purchases onto their internal EU flight,' the commission said in a statement.

In response to the threat of liquid explosives to air transport, the commission last October adopted laws prohibiting passengers from carrying more than fixed quantities of liquids in their cabin baggage past screening points and on-board aircraft.

The result is that passengers arriving from third countries and transferring at EU airports are not allowed to take liquids bought in third country airports on board connecting flights when they change planes, but have to leave them behind at the airport where they transfer.

Some exemptions are allowed, for instance medicines or baby foods.

simon.zekaria@thomson.com

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