The Enterprise Minister, Mary O'Rourke, has said she is optimistic that duty-free can be allowed to survive despite the European Commission's decision to turn down calls for an extension beyond its proposed abolition date in July. The Minister criticised today's announcement by the European Commission, saying she imagined that European heads of government would have a lot to say about it. She asked whether it was the elected heads of government, or the unelected Commission, which ruled Europe. Minister O'Rourke said she had not given up the fight to have the popular travel perk maintained.
The European Commission announced its decision in a report released in Brussels this morning, on the consequences of abolishing duty-free sales in all 15 member states at the end of June this year. The report dismisses claims that ending the sales will lead to large-scale job losses. It also urges sectors affected by the ban to apply for EU funds to offset the impact. It was ordered at a summit of EU leaders last December amid growing pressure for a reversal of the original unanimous decision taken in 1991.
