A common tariff of customs duties is being used on imports from outside the EU and there are no customs duties levied at the borders between EU countries. Duty on goods from outside the EU is generally paid when they first enter the EU. From then on, there are no more customs duties to pay and no more customs checks will apply - all goods circulate freely within the EU Customs Union.
The EU Customs Union is essential for the proper functioning of the single market. In practice, National customs services in all EU countries work together as one to manage the day-to-day operations of the Customs Union. The European Commission proposes the EU customs legislation and monitors its implementation.
The EU is one of the largest trading blocs in the world
The EU is one of the largest trading blocs in the world, alongside the United States and China.
To manage the huge volume of international trade in 2021, more than 1 900 EU customs offices, working 24 hours a day and 365 days a year, handled the import, export or transit of over 1 178 million articles. The amount of customs duties collected in 2021 reached € 24.8 billion.
Source: DG Taxation and Customs Union and Eurostat