Irish MEPs yesterday urged the European Union to address an anomaly that sees transit passengers at EU airports have their duty free goods confiscated if they have travelled from a country outside of the EU.
The seizures are being made as a result of EU legislation introduced in November last year, which restricts the amount of liquid passengers can take on board planes.
Currently the regulations apply to the 27 EU member states, and passengers travelling direct from countries such as the United States to Ireland can keep their goods.
However, those who fly to Ireland through another EU airport en route from a third country have any duty free goods they bought at the non-EU airport confiscated.
Figures obtained by the European Travel Retail Council, which works with duty free outlets, found that Frankfurt airport currently confiscates 20,000 tonnes of duty free products each week, while 1,500 litres of alcohol and perfume are taken from passengers each day at Amsterdam's Schipol airport.
Both Fine Gael's Avril Doyle and Fianna Fáil's Seán Ó Neachtain yesterday warned that this practice could have serious implications for Aer Rianta and Irish drinks producers.
Ms Doyle said sales at third country duty free stores were falling because passengers were afraid of losing their goods.
"This could spell economic disaster for European business as many of these non-EU duty free outlets are owned by European companies such as Aer Rianta," she said.
Aer Rianta currently has 20 duty free operations around the world in Russia, the Middle East and North America, employing some 3,000 people.
Ms Doyle said these outlets were a valuable showcase for Irish products.
Bilateral agreements could be put in place with third country airports where security is at least as good as at EU airports, Ms Doyle said.
Mr Ó Neachtain also condemned the practice, saying the EU should immediately recognise the US, Canada and Australia for the purpose of implementing the rules.