Since the UK’s departure from the European Union (EU) in January 2021, duty-free shopping for flights between Great Britain and the EU has been reintroduced.
However, Northern Ireland’s airports have been left out of this arrangement due to the complexities of the Northern Ireland Protocol.
As part of the Windsor Framework agreed upon by the UK and EU to address protocol-related challenges, there have been mounting demands to reintroduce duty-free facilities to airports in Northern Ireland.
Restoring duty-free shops for EU flights would not only mitigate these losses but also level the playing field for Northern Irish airports compared to their UK and European counterparts.
As a result, the travel retail industry is urging the Westminster Government and the EU Commission to collaborate and harmonize the rules on duty-free shopping for Northern Irish airports with those of their British and European counterparts.