Daily newspaper Politiken on Tuesday quoted chairman of Denmark's charter tour operators' association, Stig Elling as saying it was certain such sales would go on, perhaps for half a year.

``I have been informed by a 100 per cent reliable source in the EU Commission in Brussels that the deadline will be postponed,'' Elling said.

``Perhaps only by half a year. We are trying to get a five-year extension but we do not know if that will succeed,'' he said.

The European Union's 1991 decision to abolish duty-free sales for travellers inside the bloc from July 1 can only be overturned if the EU Commission proposes a change and all 15 EU member countries endorse it.

Danish economy minister Marianne Jelved has consistently maintained she would use her veto to block any extension. Politiken said she declined to comment on Elling's assertion that duty-free sales would continue.

At the Vienna EU summit in December, some big member countries, with Germany, France and Britain in the lead, argued strongly for an extension.