Glossary

In an export-import context, the number of units in a consignment. The measurement used depends in the type of goods.

A tariff is a customs duty or tax levied on imports of merchandise goods. Most of the time a tariff is an ad valorem tariff (percentage of value) or a specific tariff (e.g. $100 per ton). Less often, it can be a compound tariff made up of both of these elements applies. Tariffs are mostly levied on imports, but there are cases of tariffs on exports. Tariffs raise revenue for the government and increase the prices of imported products, thus giving domestically produced products a price advantage.

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Tariffs

Generally, it is the importer that pays the tariff. The importer declares the dutiable value of merchandise to the Customs Authority in the importing country and the final appraisal of the goods value is done by customs. Most often it is the transaction value (the price actually paid by the buyer to the seller) that serves as the basis for the value appraisal.

Notwithstanding the rules governing the multilateral trading system, developed countries may grant tariff preferences to developing economies without requiring reciprocity (under the Generalised system of preferences scheme, or on a category, regional or bilateral basis).

Belt of coastal waters extending at most 12 nautical miles from the baseline of the coast of a state, subject to its exclusive jurisdiction, as defined by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

Requirement for goods with a preferential origin to be produced within the territory of the parties to a preferential trade arrangement, without any interruption (i.e. not leaving the territory of that party during the production process).

Series of individual agreements between the EU and Mediterranean partner countries, in relation to the Barcelona Declaration. The scope of these agreements is essentially limited to trade in goods and a number of bilateral negotiations are on-going or being prepared in order to deepen the Association Agreements.

These ongoing or future negotiations are related to further liberalisation of trade in agriculture, liberalisation of trade in services, accreditation and acceptance of industrial products and regulatory convergence.

Multilingual database integrating all measures relating to EU customs tariff, commercial and agricultural legislation. The system gives all economic operators a clear view of measures to be taken when importing goods into the EU, or exporting goods from the EU.

International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants - Intergovernmental organisation with headquarters in Geneva (Switzerland), established by the International Convention for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants. It aims to provide and promote an effective system of plant variety protection, with the aim of encouraging the development of new varieties of plants, for the benefit of society.

Transit document serving both as a customs declaration and a guarantee in countries that are a contracting party to the Transport International Routier (TIR) Convention.