European Union Customs Union

European Union Customs Union
Type Customs union
Member states
Establishment 1958
Area
 -  Total 5,200,000 km2
2,007,731 sq mi
Population
 -  2014 estimate 585,000,000
GDP (PPP) 2014 estimate
 -  Total $19.6 trillion
GDP (nominal) 2014 estimate
 -  Total $19.2 trillion

The European Union Customs Union (EUCU) is a customs union which consists of all the member states of the European Union (EU) and some of its neighbouring countries: Andorra, Monaco, San Marino and Turkey.

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 can negotiate as a single entity in international trade deals such as the World Trade Organisation, instead of individual member states negotiating for themselves.

Non-EU members

EU applicant Turkey and two bordering microstates—Andorra and San Marino — are in customs union with the EU. Monaco, while not a member of the EU, is part of the EU customs territory through an agreement with France.

State Agreement Date Notes
 Andorra Agreement between the EEC and Andorra[1] 1991 Excludes agricultural products
 Monaco Franco-Monegasque Treaty[2][3] 1958
 San Marino Co-operation and Customs Union Agreement[4] 1991
 Turkey European Union–Turkey Customs Union[5][6] 1995 Excludes agricultural products

Territories

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.

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ "Andorra : Customs Unions and preferential arrangements". European Commission. Retrieved 2012-09-12.
  2. ↑ "Taxation and Customs - FAQ". European Commission. Retrieved 2012-09-12.
  3. ↑ "Council Regulation (EEC) No 2913/92 of 12 October 1992 establishing the Community Customs Code". Official Journal of the European Union. 1992-10-19. Retrieved 2012-09-12.
  4. ↑ "San Marino : Customs Unions and preferential arrangements". European Commission. Retrieved 2012-09-12.
  5. ↑ "Trade : Turkey". European Commission. Retrieved 2012-09-12.
  6. ↑ "Turkey : Customs Unions and preferential arrangements". European Commission. Retrieved 2012-09-12.