The 1987 Convention on a common transit procedure establishes the measures facilitating the movement of goods between the EU and Iceland, Norway and Switzerland.
The rules are effectively identical to those of the Community transit system, the procedure used for customs transit operations between the EU Member States themselves, as well as Andorra and San Marino.
The detailed rules are set out in the Community Customs Code.
It is planned that the Convention on a common transit procedure (as well as the Convention of 20 May 1987 on the simplification of formalities in trade of goods) will be extended to include Croatia and Turkey.
The European Commission has adopted two proposals with regard to the position to be adopted by the Union in the EU-EFTA Joint Committee, when these matters are debated.
As both countries have however fulfilled the legal, structural and information technology requirements, which are pre-conditions for accession, and as the Joint Committee has effectively invited them to apply, these are merely formalities.
Both countries can be expected to be taking part in the common transit procedure with effect from 1 July 2012.
