Duty-Free

A value-added tax (or T.V.A.) of 20% is imposed on most consumer goods, and the rate can be as high as 33% for certain luxury items. To qualify for a refund, you must have bought more than €175 of goods in the same store on the same day and have stayed three months or less in the EU at the time of purchase. In 2014, the new PABLO reimbursement system was introduced: now, instead of lengthy paper applications, retailers provide computer-generated forms with a barcode and the PABLO logo, which must be scanned in the airport at a designated PABLO terminal before you check in for your outbound flight. Refunds are processed more quickly, and funds are directly credited to your credit card or bank account.