The European Union Customs Union (EUCU) is a customs union which consists of all the Member States of the European Union (EU) and a number of surrounding countries.
The customs union is a principal task of the European Economic Community, established in 1958, and now succeeded by the European Union. No customs are levied on goods travelling within the customs union and—unlike a free trade area—members of the customs union impose a common external tariff on all goods entering the union. One of the consequences of the customs union is that the European Union has to negotiate as a single entity in international trade deals such as the World Trade Organisation.
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EU applicant Turkey and the three bordering microstates—Andorra, Monaco, and San Marino — are in customs union with the EU.[1]
| State | Agreement | Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Andorra | Agreement between the EEC and Andorra | 1991 | Excludes agricultural products |
| Monaco | Franco-Monegasque Treaty | 1958 | |
| San Marino | Co-operation and Customs Union Agreement | 1991 | |
| Turkey | EU-Turkey Customs Union | 1995 | Excludes agricultural products |
While all EU members are part of the customs union, not all of their respective territories form part of the customs union. This may be because a territory is not part of the EU, because the territories have opt-outs, or are excluded from the customs union because of their economic or geographic circumstances; see Special Member State territories and the European Union.