============================== DUTY FREE ============================== Travellers returning to the UK direct from an EC country pay no duty on goods bought in those countries. BUT HM Customs stresses: - your goods must be for personal use or for gifts; - you must not have been paid to bring back goods for other people. EC law lays out guidelines for what it regards as personal use. They are: 800 cigarettes 400 cigarillos 200 cigars 1 kg of tobacco 10 litres of spirits 20 litres of fortified wine, like port and sherry. 90 litres of table wine 110 litres of beer £71 of gifts bought without duty. Although duty-free restrictions have been eased, customs officers still make spot checks for banned goods like drugs and weapons. The EC members where the new "no-duty" law operates are: Portugal - Netherlands - Irish Republic - Luxembourg - France - Germany - Greece - Italy - Spain - Belgium - Denmark - Britain. Goods allowed in duty free for those arriving from non-EC countries or buying their goods at duty free shops within the EC are: 200 cigarettes OR 100 cigarillos OR 50 cigars OR 250g of tobacco 1 litre of spirits OR 2 litres of fortified wine 2 litres of table wine £136 worth of gifts or souvenirs.