- Title: VARIOUS: ONE DAY CONFERENCE ON FIGHT TO SAVE DUTY FREE
- Date: 26th September 1996
- Summary: AT SEA (RECENT) (RTV) 1. LV CROSS CHANNEL FERRY (STENA LINE) 0.05 2. SCU PORT HOLES ZOOM OUT TO DUTY FREE SHOP ON BOARD FERRY/ POSTERS FOR "SAVE DUTY FREE" CAMPAIGN (2 SHOTS) 0.22 3. MV CUSTOMERS BUYING DUTY FREE DRINK AND CIGARETTES AT TILL 0.28 BRUSSELS, BELGIUM (RECENT) (RTV) 4. LV EXTERIOR EUROPEAN COMMISSION HEADQUARTERS/ FLAG FLYING 0.38 5. SCU/CU COMMISSION SPOKESWOMAN ELISABETTA OLIVI SITTING AT DESK WITH INTERVIEWER SAYING "THE DECISION WAS TAKEN BY THE COUNCIL OF MINISTERS, BY ALL MINISTERS OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, IN 1991. WHY? BECAUSE AFTER 1993, WE ARE IN THE "SINGLE MARKET": EACH CITIZEN CAN BUY ANYTHING EVERYWHERE IN THE COMMUNITY. IT'S CLEAR THAT THE DUTY FREE SHOPS, IN RELATION TO THE IMPORT AND THE EXPORT, IS A SYSTEM IN CONTRADICTION. IT'S AS IF A COUNTRY HAD A TAX FREE SYSTEM INSIDE THE COUNTRY. (FRENCH) 1.22 6. LV DUTY FREE SHOPS IN BRUSSELS AIRPORT/SIGN EXPLAINING DUTY FREE ALLOWANCES (5 SHOTS) 1.50 7. CU DAVID ZIMMER, GENERAL SECRETARY OF THE INTERNATIONAL DUTY-FREE CONFEDERATION, SAYING (ENGLISH) "DUTY FREE IS PART AND PARCEL OF THE TRANSPORT SYSTEM IN EUROPE, IF YOU TAKE AWAY THAT INCOME, THAT INCOME HAS TO BE FOUND FROM SOMEWHERE ELSE AND THERE'S ONE PLACE YOU CAN FIND IT, AND THAT'S FROM YOU AND ME AS TAXPAYERS. WHY THROW AWAY A VERY THRIVING ECONOMIC GOOD BUSINESS WHICH PROMOTES EUROPEAN PRODUCTS AROUND THE WORLD? WHY THROW THAT AWAY FOR A POINT OF PRINCIPAL (ENGLISH) 2.16 AT SEA (RECENT) (RTV) 8. SCU DUTY FREE SHOP ON THE FERRY WITH WOMAN AT TILL BUYING CIGARETTES AND PRESENTING HER BOARDING CARDS (3 SHOTS) 2.29 9. SCU MAN SAYING "I'D RATHER NOT SEE IT HAPPEN. I PREFER TO KEEP THE DUTY FREE, BECAUSE OF BRITISH TAXES, IT MAKES IT SO EXPENSIVE, ESPECIALLY AS A SMOKER." (ENGLISH) 2.41 10. CU WOMAN SHOPPER SAYING "DISGUSTING, VERY MUCH AGAINST THAT. IN ENGLAND, WE HAVE GOT TO PAY HIGH TAXES ON OUR CIGARETTES, TOBACCO AND THINGS. OTHER COUNTRIES DON'T. WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE IN THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITY, WHY SHOULD WE HAVE TO PAY THE EXTRAS." (ENGLISH) 2.58 11. MV SHOPPERS IN DUTY FREE SHOP (2 SHOTS) 3.08 Initials S3 P3 Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.
- Embargoed: 11th October 1996 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: BRUSSELS, BELGIUM/ AT SEA
- City:
- Country: EUROPE Belgium AT SEA
- Reuters ID: LVAE1HPW7C50C1XGUC7AHUO27OFA
- Story Text: - INTRO: Campaigners fighting to save the Duty Free industry in Europe are holding a one-day conference in Brussels on Wednesday (September 24). It's claimed up to 140,000 jobs are at risk if the European Union goes ahead and abolishes Duty Free in 1999.
Millions of people each year take advantage of the Duty Free shops on ferries and at airports to buy cheaper cigarettes and alcohol.
But now such perks are under threat. The European Commission and European finance ministers argue that tax-free sales are out of place in a single European market and give airlines and ferry companies an unfair advantage.
The decision to abolish duty free was taken by EU finance ministers in 1991, but the move was delayed until 30 June, 1999 to allow industries affected by the change to adjust.
But representatives of the Duty Free industry argue that abolishing duty free will lead to higher taxes and more expensive travel.
David Zimmer, the General Secretary of the International Duty Free Confederation (IDFC) said abolition would put more than 140,000 European jobs at risk in a variety of industries including transport, tourism, manufacturing and retailing.
There are 650 retailers operating within the duty free industry, creating an estimated turnover of 4 billion ECUs a year.
Each year, European ferry operators carry about 110 million passengers between member States on more than 300 vessels.
Public opinion is divided. Although the popular image is one of cheap drink and cigarettes the savings at duty free shops are often relatively small.
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