I am writing about the impending withdrawal of the duty free allowance for travellers to and from the UK on June 30.

While I am a strong supporter of the European Union, I fear, as do many others, that this is just the kind of thing which puts people off Europe.

The three largest members of the EU, ourselves, France and Germany oppose the move, but we are having this imposed on us by countries who already enjoy a much lower level of taxation on things like alcohol and tobacco than ourselves.

I suppose the amount is insignificant compared with the privileges enjoyed by the bureaucrats in Brussels. But collectively the total of business is no doubt very large and the loss of jobs involved will be quite serious, hence the strike by French workers in Calais earlier this month. I always thought that until there is a common tax and duty policy throughout the EU, we were able to impose or withdraw taxes under our own jurisdiction.

Whatever, I feel that this is a bad ruling, and should be opposed vigorously until the last moment and then, if not rescinded, ignored like all other bad laws.

O H Bradley,

White Rose Grove,

New Earswick,

York.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.