Businesses and ports in Kent will be hardest hit by a vote in the European Parliament that threatens to end booze cruise trade, the leader of the UK Independence Party has warned.
Nigel Farage, a MEP for the South East, criticised the new guidelines, which would cut the amount of cigarettes and alcohol Brits can bring back from the Continent, blaming the move on “appalling puritans”.
Under the rules the tobacco allowance will be slashed by nearly 90 per cent and booze limits by half.
“It is tough enough with the fall of the pound against the euro,” Mr Farage told the Saturday Observer newspaper.
“A booze cruise to Calais or Boulogne is a good fun day out and very good for Kent, good for Kent business and good for the ports.
“If you take away the cheap fags and booze, people will not go in big numbers and who does that benefit?
“It is just these appalling puritans wanting to control every aspect of our lives and people will go on smoking and drinking of course.”
But those in favour of the guidelines on cross-Channel shopping said it would put a stop to cheap alcohol and cigarettes being resold for ‘pocket money’.
In a knife-edge vote on Wednesday, 328 MEPs were in favour of the move and 319 were against the strict new guidelines for “personal consumption”.
Three out of 10 South East Euro-MPs, who represent Kent, voted in favour of the legislation, which could come into force in two years’ time – Caroline Lucas, leader of the Green Party, Lib Dem Sharon Bowles and Labour’s Peter Skinner.
Mr Skinner said putting limits on cross-channel shopping would put a stop to smuggling and the resale of alcohol and cigarettes.
He said: “We have voted to put a stop to organised white van traffic full of products which will be resold on our streets by unlicensed traders undermining our small businesses and presenting a real danger to our young people.
“This is a recipe for anti-social behaviour on our estates when beer or cigarettes are sold for pocket money.”
MEPs backed new guidelines on personal consumption of 400 cigarettes, 200 cigarillos and 100 cigars, compared with UK Customs limits for returning travellers of 3,200 cigarettes, 400 cigarillos and 200 cigars.
With drink, the European parliament defined personal consumption as five litres of spirits, 45 litres of wine and 55 litres of beer, as opposed to UK Customs guidelines for personal consumption as ten litres of spirits, 90 litres of wine and 110 litres of beer.
Mr Farage said he planned to fight the cuts.
“I think there is going to be intensive lobbying against it now and I shall certainly be lobbying myself, particularly on behalf of the people of Kent.
“It is the county that will be hardest-hit because there is nowhere else you can feasibly go for a day trip to France from.
“It will have a very serious impact in the county, especially at this time of year when people are stocking up for Christmas.”
However, a spokeswoman for ferry operators P&O said the company did not think the new rules would affect its trade.
“There will still be no legal limit on the amount of goods you can bring back. They are levels, not limits. They are a guide for customs officers to work by.
“They are changes to the minimum level and it is up to the individual to make a case to the customs officer that it is for personal use.”
The new guidelines cover all member states of the EU. The Government could adopt more lenient guidelines for Britain, but it has chosen to follow the EU line in the past.
POSTED: 22/11/2008 06:00:00
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