HC Deb 10 December 2001 vol 376 c693W
Mr. Hoyle

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which areas within the European Union are not part of the Customs Union. [21443]

Mr. Boateng

The treaty establishing the European Community applies to the 15 member states and their territories as set out in Article 299. The extent of the customs territory of the Community is set out in Article 3 of the Community Customs Code (Council Regulation (EEC) No. 2913/92).

Article 3 lists the following exclusions from the customs territory:

  • the Faroe Islands and Greenland;
  • the Island of Heligoland and the territory of Büsingen;
  • Ceuta and Melilla;
  • the French overseas territories and `collectivités territorials';
  • the municipalities of Livigno and Campione d'Italia and the national waters of Lake Lugano which are between the bank and the political frontier of the area between Ponte Tresa and Porto Ceresio.

In addition, the Customs Code does not apply to territories for whose external relations a member state is responsible, such as Gibraltar.

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