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travel
news review
9
March '99
While duty free shopping is officially scheduled to end in the member
countries of the European Union (EU) on 1 July, 1999, many countries are
hopeful duty-free shopping can be extended for another couple of years.
Of the 15 member countries in the EU, Germany, France and Britain are
the main campaigners for an extension for duty-free shopping. It is estimated
that if duty-free shopping goes, more than 140,000 jobs would also go.
When the end of duty-free sales in EU countries eventually does come into
place, travellers to Europe will still be able to obtain duty free items,
as the new restrictions will only apply to intra-EU travel. As an example,
if you travel between Switzerland, which is not a member of the EU, and
France, duty-free purchases will still be possible. Current member countries
of the EU are Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece,
Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and the
United Kingdom.
23
September '98
A special package to the Van Gogh/Millet exhibition at the Musee d'Orsay
in Paris is being offered by Belgium's Thalys rail service. The package
combines the train trip from Brussels to Paris, entrance to the exhibition
and two free Paris metro tickets. The package will be available until
3 January 1999 and tickets are available at all Belgium railway stations
selling international tickets.
6
May '98
The European Parliament recently endorsed Austria, Belgium, Finland,
France, Germany, Holland, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Portugal and Spain
as the initial participants in the launch of a single European currency,
the Euro. The Euro will come into the market on 1 January 1999. The United
Kingdom, Denmark and Sweden have refused to join the monetary union, and
Greece is ineligible as it has such a large budget deficit.
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