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Espace Voyageur...differentiating the travel retail market
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On 23 December 2005, the French National Assembly approved a legally binding text that upholds the principle of Espace Voyageur, differentiating the French travel retail market from domestic, high street retailing.
Following patient and professional representation by the Association Francaise du Commerce du Voyageur (AFCOV), both the Senate and the National Assembly, supported by the Minister of Transport, have now adopted an amendment to the Commerce Code relating to "shops accessible only to travellers with tickets and situated at airports".
The agreed text states: 'The areas reserved for travellers in airports do not compete with the local markets but with similar areas in other international airports. The recognition of these areas is necessary to give a formal legal framework to the competitive conditions and means of distribution (labelling, specific packaging, sales to passengers in transit, specific opening times, etc.) because sales in such areas are subject to the presentation of a travel document.'
The text continues: 'This amendment seeks to guarantee to businesses situated in the above-mentioned areas the means to grow in competition with their (international) competitors.'
AFCOV's report on the approval of the Espace Voyageur concept is available here.
The Statement of Principles, "the Charter", and Q and A papers also posted here provides further details of the concept.
The industry will be kept advised of ongoing developments as AFCOV seeks the extension of the Espace Voyageur concept to airlines and the maritime trade.
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