A statement from DFWC president Frank O'Connell, says all the legal and financial requirements have been completed and the council is now up and running, with its own email address and shortly its own initial website to enable full communications with its members and the industry.

The board has agreed to recruit administration resources to enable it to press ahead with a number of key projects - mapping the possible scope and structure of an industry database and profile and initiating an industry library and resource centre which is intended to play a key role in the council's other priority area of education.

The statement says: “In this context management development and training standards for the industry accompanied by a robust and academically sound accreditation process will be explored.”

The DFWC voard will meet again during the TFWA World Exhibition & Conference in Cannes later in October.

The Duty Free World Council represents the duty free and travel retail industry globally and comprises the following associations: IAADFS, TFWA, MEADFA, APTRA, ETRC, ASUTIL, FDFA