See also: Free trade agreements of the United Kingdom.
| Conventional Long Name: | United Kingdom–Crown Dependencies Customs Union |
| Membership Type: | Members |
| Established: | 2020 |
| Area Km2: | 243,263 |
| Area Rank: | Unranked |
| Population Estimate: | 68,393,154 |
| Org Type: | Customs union |
| Gdp Ppp: | £2,288,612 trillion ($3,185,015 trillion) |
| Currency: | Pound sterling (de facto currency union) |
The United Kingdom–Crown Dependencies Customs Union (UK-CD Customs Union) or customs arrangements with the Crown Dependencies is a customs union that covers the British Islands.[1]
On 1 January 2021, the United Kingdom extended its membership of the World Trade Organization (WTO) to the Channel Islands.[2] [3] [4]
Prior to the UK's exit from the EU, trade between the UK and Crown Dependencies was governed by protocol 3 of the UK's EU accession treaty.[5]
On 26 November 2018, the UK signed customs agreements with each of the Crown Dependencies to allow free trade to continue to flow across between all the parties by creating a single UK–Crown Dependencies Customs Union.[6]
On 29 December 2020, the UK–Crown Dependencies Customs Agreements took effect and officially created a customs union between the UK and Crown Dependencies.[7]
Though Northern Ireland is considered an integral part of the United Kingdom and is not part of the European Union, to maintain a peaceful resolution of the Northern Ireland Conflict, it has an open border with the Republic of Ireland, which is part of the European Union single market. The Northern Ireland Protocol, which first came into effect on 24 March 2023, regulates inter-island trade to support this arrangement. Internal shipments from Great Britain to Northern Ireland are regulated as imports to the EU, but shipments from Northern Ireland can enter the rest of UK customs union barrier-free.
On 26 September 2023, the UK Treasury made The Customs (Northern Ireland) (EU Exit) (Amendment) Regulations 2023. This is a statutory instrument (2023 No. 958) The new regulations updated the UK's customs duty rules for goods moving between Great Britain and Northern Ireland and created a wider definition to determine whether food is at risk of entering the EU.[8]
The customs agreements:
These agreements also state that they may be terminated at any time by mutual agreement.[9]
On 29 December 2020, the United Kingdom became an independent member of Common Transit Convention; this has been extended to the crown dependencies through the UK–Crown Dependencies customs union and is used as the basis for common transit between members.[10]
Paragraphs 10 to 12 provide that members of the customs union will align with the UK in areas of customs laws, rules and procedures.[11]
The customs agreements created a joint customs committee (UK-CD Customs Committee). This committee will meet at least once a year and will act as a forum for:
In 2020 the UK government passed the Customs (Tariff Quotas)(EU Exit) Regulations 2020. The purpose of this regulation is to update definitions in customs legislation.[12]