The European Travel Retail Confederation (ETRC) is a key pan-industry association representing more than 200 companies in the duty free and travel retail sector across Europe. Established in 2004, ETRC serves as a unified voice to promote and protect the interests of this specialized retail industry, which operates in airports, airlines, ferries, and cruise lines. The Confederation’s core mission is to foster the right regulatory environment to enable the industry to thrive while addressing challenges when they arise. ETRC achieves this by facilitating communication and collaboration among its members through seminars, conferences, and specialist taskforces, as well as providing in-depth research and actionable data on relevant policy issues.
ETRC’s lobbying prominence has notably increased in recent years with its active campaign since 2020 to introduce “arrivals duty free” sales into the European Union. This initiative seeks to allow inbound passengers to purchase duty free goods upon arrival, a practice currently restricted by EU legislation. ETRC’s efforts include persistent advocacy with the European Commission and member states, pushing amendments to the Excise Directive and VAT frameworks to permit such sales. Though a technical amendment allowing duty free sales at the French Eurotunnel rail terminal in Coquelles was approved in 2023, broader reform for arrivals duty free is still under consideration. The Confederation positions this reform as a self-financing measure that supports airport revenues and boosts tourism without additional public expenditure.
Apart from tax-related advocacy, ETRC is actively engaged in sustainability initiatives within the travel retail sector, including promoting digital labeling to reduce packaging waste and addressing regulatory challenges such as front-of-pack nutrition labeling. The organization also keeps a watchful eye on the evolving Covid-19 travel and health regulation discrepancies across EU member states, recognizing their impact on consumers and the sector.
ETRC works closely with a variety of stakeholders, including member companies, regional trade associations like the Tax Free World Association (TFWA), and the European Commission. The Confederation is funded in part by corporate members from sectors such as tobacco, which has been noted as part of its membership base, emphasizing its broad coalition within travel retail.
Overall, ETRC is a pivotal lobbying organization in Brussels that aligns industry interests with EU policy development to secure regulatory conditions conducive to the growth and sustainability of European travel retail.
