New Belgian/European law for crew as from 01/12/08 duty free

[luchtzak]

As from 1st of December crewmembers are only allowed to buy 40 cigarettes and 25cl of alcohol >22% into Belgium. Belgian customs where very eager to explain this to all crewmembers this morning

Passengers however are still allowed to buy 200 cigarettes and 1L of whisky, gin, etc...

Is this rule Belgian or European?

It also amazes me that till now I never heard about this new rule

[Coppelia]

Heard from Crew Shop employees that this law is for the crew... and applicable in Belgium only. Latest belgian joke I guess...

[Outsync]

Are we really talking 40 cigarettes? or 2 packs of cigarettes totalling 40 cigarettes ?

[HighInTheSky]

Hmm so it is true... Someone told me a few days ago, but it sounded so stupid that i didn't want to believe it. Why so sudden?

[bxleu]

Speaking about duty free rules:

"Duty-free imports: New rules for travellers' allowances into the European Union from 1 December 2008"
http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAct ... IP/08/1845

See also http://ec.europa.eu/taxation_customs/co ... dex_en.htm:

"The rules in force since 1 December 2008 have given Member States the option of reducing the quantitative limits on tobacco products (e.g. for cigarettes: from 200 to 40) in support of health policies."

In other words:
Tobacco products - Each Member State decides on the limit applicable:
200 cigarettes or 40 cigarettes;*
100 cigarillos or 20 cigarillos; *
50 cigars or 10 cigars; *
250 grams of tobacco or 50 g smoking tobacco*

Haven't found anything exclusively applicable to crews...