Free movement of goods

Abstract

The free movement of goods plays an equivalently significant role for the basic objective of a ‘homogeneous European Economic Area’ in the EEA/EFTA States as it does in the internal market of the European Union. However, different from the EU, the EEA does not seek to establish a customs union. Therefore the free movement of goods applies in principle only to goods originating in the Contracting Parties. This chapter outlines in particular the product coverage as a specific EEA-law problem, the prohibited restrictions of the free movement of goods (customs duties, internal taxation, quantitative restrictions and measures having equivalent effects), the justification of restrictions, the treatment of state monopolies as well as the cooperation in customs related matters and trade facilitation.