Brussels  - New rules allowing passengers to bring more duty- free perfumes and wines into the European Union came into force Monday.

The new rules also allow EU member states to limit the number of duty-free cigarettes that can be brought back from outside the bloc to 40. So far, about half of the EU's 27 member states have said they will stick to the current limit of 200 cigarettes.

Travellers' overall allowances for the import of duty-free goods has been raised from 175 euros (220 dollars) to 430 euros for those arriving by air or sea and to 300 euros for those entering the EU by land.

Quantitative limits on perfume, eau de toilette, coffee and tea have been abolished while the limit on still wines has been increased, from two to four litres. The import of duty-free beers, on the other hand, is now limited to 16 litres.

"Today's entry into force of new thresholds in duty-free travellers' allowances is good news for European travellers," said Taxation and Customs Union Commissioner Laszlo Kovacs.

Kovacs noted that many of the previous rules had been in place since 1969 and were "no longer relevant to today's world." (dpa)