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United Kingdom–Crown Dependencies Customs Union

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See also: Free trade agreements of the United Kingdom

United Kingdom–Crown Dependencies Customs Union
The British Islands on a map:
  United Kingdom
  Crown Dependencies
TypeCustoms union
Members
List
Establishment2020
Area
• Total
243,263[a] km2 (93,924 sq mi) (Unranked)
Population
• Estimate
68,393,154
GDP (PPP)estimate
• Total
£2,288,612 trillion ($3,185,015 trillion)[b]
Currency
Pound sterling[c] (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.[4][d]

On 1 January 2021, the United Kingdom extended its membership of the World Trade Organization (WTO) to the Channel Islands.[6][7][8]

History

[edit]

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.[9]

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.[10]

On 29 December 2020, the UK–Crown Dependencies Customs Agreements took effect and officially created a customs union between the UK and Crown Dependencies.[11]

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.[12]

Objectives

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The customs agreements:

These agreements also state that they may be terminated at any time by mutual agreement.[14]

Common Transit Convention

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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.[15]

Customs alignment

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Paragraphs 10 to 12 provide that members of the customs union will align with the UK in areas of customs laws, rules and procedures.[16]

Joint UK-CD Customs Committee

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The customs agreements created a joint customs committee (UK-CD Customs Committee).[10] This committee will meet at least once a year and will act as a forum for:

  • Exchanging views on common interests regarding the agreements
  • Reviewing the operation of the agreements
  • Seeking appropriate way and methods to avoid problems occurring in regard to areas covered in the agreements
  • Mediation should problems occur regarding areas covered in the agreements.[11]

External Customs Tariffs

[edit]

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.[17]

Customs agreements

[edit]
Customs agreements, entered into force on 29 December 2020
Crown
Dependency 		Agreement Legislation ratifying the agreements Citation
UK Crown Dependency
Jersey Arrangement between the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the government of Jersey concerning the establishment and operation of the United Kingdom–Crown Dependencies Customs Union The Crown Dependencies Customs Union (Jersey) (EU Exit) Order 2019 EU Legislation (Customs Union, Import and Export Control) (Jersey) Regulations 2018 [18]
Guernsey Arrangement between the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the government of Guernsey concerning the establishment and operation of the United Kingdom–Crown Dependencies Customs Union The Crown Dependencies Customs Union (Guernsey) (EU Exit) Order 2019 The Customs Excise (Import)(Customs Declaration) Regulations 2020
Isle of Man Arrangement between the governments of the United Kingdom and the Isle of Man further amending the agreement between those governments on customs and excise and associated matters dated 15th October 1979 The Crown Dependencies Customs Union (Isle of Man) (EU Exit) Order 2019 Taxation (Cross-border Trade) Act 2018 (Application) Order 2019

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Amaya, Nigel (22 March 2018). "What Is A Crown Dependency?". World Atlas.
  2. ^ Demographic Yearbook – Table 3: Population by sex, rate of population increase, surface area and density (PDF) (Report). United Nations Statistics Division. 2012. Retrieved 9 August 2015.
  3. ^ "Real GDP per capita". Central Intelligence Agency.
  4. ^ "Brexit: the impact of the end of the Transition Period on Guernsey and Jersey". Carey Olsen. 18 January 2021. a new Customs Arrangement (the "UK-CD Customs Union") between the UK and the Crown Dependencies, enabling the Islands to enjoy the benefit of free trade agreements entered into by the UK
  5. ^ Sweet, Pat (27 November 2018). "UK agrees customs arrangements with crown dependencies". Accountancy Daily.
  6. ^ "Channel Islands to become part of UK's WTO territory". BBC News. 18 October 2019.
  7. ^ "Guernsey will get WTO membership after Brexit". Bailiwick Express. 19 October 2019.
  8. ^ Taylor, Ed (19 October 2019). "Agreement puts Island on 'strongest possible footing' for post-Brexit trade". Jersey Evening Post.
  9. ^ "The Channel Islands and the European Union". Channel Islands Brussels Office.
  10. ^ a b Heath, Richard (26 November 2018). "Brexit: Jersey signs customs agreement with UK". Jersey Evening Post. participation in a new Joint UK CD Customs Committee
  11. ^ a b "Isle of Man, Jersey and Guernsey sign deal with UK over post-Brexit trade". BBC News. 26 November 2020.
  12. ^ "New customs rules for Northern Ireland". Tax Journal. 6 September 2023.
  13. ^ "Quantitative restrictions". World Trade Organization.
  14. ^ "Customs agreement signed between the IoM and UK". Isle of Man.com. 28 November 2018.
  15. ^ "Common transit procedures that start outside Great Britain". Croner - i.
  16. ^ "Part 2 – Arrangement between the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Government of Jersey Concerning the Establishment and Operation of the United Kingdom-Crown Dependencies Customs Union". Croner-i.
  17. ^ "Customs (Tariff Quotas) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020". Croner Group.
  18. ^ "New customs arrangements for Crown Dependencies". Tax Journal. 28 November 2021.

Footnotes

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  1. ^ This total is a combined area all of the members [1][2]
  2. ^ This is the combined total of all members (this citation contains links to all members GDP (PPP) [3]
  3. ^ Local issue: Guernsey pound, Jersey pound & Manx pound
  4. ^ Although each of the dependencies signed an individual agreement with the UK, these agreements include provision for the inclusion of the other dependencies creating a single customs area between the members.[5]
  5. ^

    Quantitative restrictions
    Article XI of the GATT 1994 is the main provision regulating quantitative restrictions (QRs). The scope of this provision includes all prohibitions or restrictions other than tariffs or other taxes applied or maintained by a WTO Member on the importation or exportation of goods, which can be made effective through quotas, import or export licensing procedures, or other measures. Although Article XI of the GATT provides for the general elimination of quantitative restrictions, they are allowed in certain specific circumstances. Members' QR notifications seek to provide transparency on these measures, including on its WTO justification.

    [13]
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