Govt steps in to save duty-free industry

New Delhi: The government has now decided to take up the issue of the European Union (EU) banning the carriage of liquid, aerosols and gels (LAGs) from India with the global forum for civil aviation, International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).
According to sources in the civil aviation ministry, the government is soon going to call a meeting with duty free players in India to solve the EU diktat. The move comes following the duty-free players in India, who have assembled under the umbrella of Asia Pacific Travel Retail Association (APTRA), writing a letter to the civil aviation ministry asking them to intervene and resolve the matter, which otherwise would severely impact the duty-free trade from India. SundayET has an exclusive copy of the letter.
Already facing problems on the infrastructure front, the Rs 300-crore Indian duty free industry has come under another cloud when EU banned the carriage of liquid, aerosols and gels (LAGs) from any of the countries which has not signed a security agreement with the union. The move by EU was an attempt to curb any nefarious plans on-board. Since India doesn’t have any agreement with the EU, it has banned goods such as liquor which fall under the LAG category, bought in duty free shops from India.
04/11/07 Aman Dhall & Dheeraj Tiwari/Economic Times

To Read the News in full at Source, Click the Headline