This work gives a practical overview of the legal aspects of the Free Movement of Goods and the working of the Customs Union within the European Union and their interpretation and application by the Court of Justice of the European Communities. The essential purpose of the free movement of goods and customs provisions of the EC Treaty is to contribute to the establishment of a common market that will ensure, amongst other things, free trade in goods between member states. The free movement of goods is the primary pillar on which the internal market within the European Community - the heart of the EU - is based.

This book analyses the operation of the customs union, with detailed treatment of the Community Customs Code and its implementing and associated measures. It also discusses the elimination of customs duties and charges having equivalent effect, and the elimination of quantitative restrictions and measures having equivalent effect in trade between Member States. It concludes with coverage of state monopolies of a commercial character, and the nuclear common market.

It derives from a section in the looseleaf Law of the EU (Vaughan & Robertson, eds), and is made available here for the benefit of those who do not subscribe to the looseleaf.