customs union

American  

noun

1. an association of independent nations or tariff areas created to remove customs barriers between them and to adopt a uniform tariff policy toward nonmember nations.

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customs union British  

noun

1. an association of nations which promotes free trade within the union and establishes common tariffs on trade with nonmember nations

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

customs union

After years of negotiation involving Spain, the EU and the UK, the solution has been to align Gibraltar with the European customs union and the Schengen European free travel zone.

From BBC ● Jul. 12, 2026

A customs union would eliminate tariffs or taxes on some or all goods between the UK and the EU, reducing bureaucracy.

From BBC ● Feb. 2, 2026

The EU earlier this month signed a free-trade agreement with the four South American countries that founded the Mercosur customs union, and last year it announced a trade and investment deal with Indonesia.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 27, 2026

The plan worked better than expected, and what began in 1951 as a six-country European customs union covering coal and steel evolved over decades into the EU.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 28, 2025

Monaco   $NA; full customs integration with France, which collects and   rebates Monegasque trade duties; also participates in EU market   system through customs union with France Mongolia   $691 million c.i.f.

From The 2004 CIA World Factbook by United States. Central Intelligence Agency