The European Union decided on Tuesday to allow travelers from third countries to carry more goods free of duty when entering the 25-nation bloc.

 

Based on a compromise proposed by the EU's Finnish presidency, the final agreement increases the value limit on duty-free allowances from present 175 euros to 430 euros for air and sea travelers, and from 175 euros to 300 euros for travelers by land, including by inland waterways.

 

An increase in the limits on duty-free allowances is to cater for the effects of inflation since they were last revised in 1994, the Council of the European Union said.

 

However, the agreement makes an exception of tobacco products, allowing member states to apply different qualitative limits.

 

(Xinhua News Agency November 29, 2006)