UK: DUTY-FREE EXTENDED TO THE EU FROM JANUARY 2021

On 11 September, HM Treasury confirmed that UK passengers travelling to EU countries will be able to take advantage of duty-free shopping from January 2021.  This means that passengers will be able to buy duty-free alcohol and tobacco products, where available, in British ports, airports, and international train stations, and aboard ships, trains and planes.  The effectively unlimited personal imports will be replaced by passengers coming to Britain being able to only bring back, for example, 3 crates of beer, 2 cases of still wine and 1 case of sparkling wine to GB without paying UK duties.  The duty-free limits will be the same for non-EU destinations –

Alcohol

• 42 litres of beer
• 18 litres of still wine
• 4 litres of spirits OR 9 litres of sparkling wine, fortified wine or any alcoholic beverage less than 22% ABV

Tobacco

• 200 cigarettes OR
• 100 cigarillos OR
• 50 cigars OR
• 250g tobacco OR
• 200 sticks of tobacco for heating
• or any proportional combination of the above

Any other goods

• £390 or £270 if travelling by private plane or boat

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/duty-free-extended-to-the-eu-from-january-2021

See also the outcome of the consultation undertaken re duty-free –

https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/a-consultation-on-duty-free-and-tax-free-goods-carried-by-passengers