Key Words: Cuba;customs rules;custom;duty-free;tourism;shopping;
HAVANA, Jan. 15 (Xinhua) -- Cuba began to implement new customs regulations on Tuesday, moving closer to international guidelines for passengers and their luggage.
The new General Customs regulations have been "adapted to Cuba's current conditions and are in accordance with international practices," according to new Resolution 439 of 2012 issued by the General Customs of the Republic and published at the Official Gazette.
Just in time for the high-season influx of tourists, the new rules allow each passenger to bring in items for personal use duty-free.
Such items include clothes, footwear, personal grooming products, portable digital media player, camera, mobile phone, portable television and articles for personal entertainment, to name a few.
Also, up to 10 kilograms of medicine in the original packaging, excluding those that may be subject to restrictions, will also be duty-free.
Apart from personal items, passengers may bring in items that are subject to a customs tax, as long as their value does not exceed 1,000 pesos (about 38 U.S. dollars), or they are not intended for profit and do not exceed the authorized amount.
The new customs law coincides with more relaxed travel rules going into effect on Monday, which make it easier for Cubans to travel in and out of the country.
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