EU commissioners have been accused of double standards in retaining duty free allowances for themselves and diplomats while pressing for the abolition of duty free for intra-EU travel as a tax harmonisation measure. As perks, commissioners and diplomats receive an annual duty free allowance on the purchase of 20,000 cigarettes and up to 490 litres of alcoholic drink, along with up to 7,000 litres of car fuel, according to figures provided by the International Duty Free Confederation. "They have a far higher allowance and they are going to continue to retain their allowance after duty free goes," said Ms Carmel Hogan, the national co-ordinator of SIPTU's duty free retention campaign.

She and other SIPTU representatives were part of a delegation which travelled to Brussels yesterday to protest at an open day presentation by Belgian International Seals, a company specialising in diplomatic tax and duty free sales. Trade unionists and supporters from across the EU participated in the demonstration.

Ms Hogan said the proposal to abolish duty free next June ahead of EU tax harmonisation amounted to begrudgery. Yesterday's protest was part of a campaign to protect about 1,500 Irish jobs. "If there was a logical reason for getting rid of duty free, it would be justifiable," she said. Speaking at the Brussels protest yesterday evening, Mr Peter Dunne, an Aer Rianta worker director, said there was embarrassment at the European Commission over the revelation of their duty free perks.

The Fine Gael MEP, Mr John Cushnahan, said commissioners were viewing duty free products they could continue to purchase next year when 140,000 EU citizens would have lost their jobs. "I am here today to protest at the hypocrisy of the EU Commission," he said.