The Irish Transport Minister looks set this week to raise the issue of transit passengers having their duty free purchases confiscated when transferring to another EU airport with EU Transport Commissioner Jacques Barrot.

The issue is a huge one which requires mutual recognition of non-EU airports' security systems by the EU before it can be resolved.
Commissioner Barrot and his colleagues are aware of the problem and the EU's willingness to act upon the issue will be directly influenced by the number of non-EU countries that have applied for mutual recognition security status. So far, the number stands at a disappointingly low five, including Singapore, Japan, Australia, Taiwan and Israel.
Whether this number will be enough to persuade the EU that action is required remains to be seen at a time when there is no sign that the volume of confiscations is slowing.
Amsterdam Schiphol Airport is still confiscating more than 1,000 litres of duty free purchases a day and Frankfurt Airport is taking an estimated 20 tonnes of liquids a week from passengers. According to press reports, Heathrow Airport is receiving 200 complaints a day about the practice.