Go back Free movement of goods Load fact sheet in pdf format The internal market The internal market: General principles Free movement of goods Free movement of capital Freedom of establishment and freedom to provide services Free movement of workers The mutual recognition of diplomas The ubiquitous digital single market Affordable communications for businesses and consumers Internal energy market Public procurement contracts Company law Intellectual, industrial and commercial property Posting of workers The free movement of goods is secured through the elimination of customs duties and quantitative restrictions and the prohibition of measures having an equivalent effect. The principles of mutual recognition, elimination of physical and technical barriers and promotion of standardisation were added in order to continue the completion of the internal market. The adoption of the New Legislative Framework in 2008 strengthened the free movement of goods, the EU’s market surveillance system and the CE mark. The COVID-19 pandemic has had negative implications for the free movement of goods, however. A study from early 2021 pictures how the effect of future pandemics on the free movement of goods may be lessened by implementing measures that boost the internal market’s resilience. Legal basis Article 26 and Articles 28-37 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU). Objectives The right to the free movement of goods originating in Member States, and of goods from third countries which are in free circulation in the Member States, is one of the fundamental principles of the Treaty (Article 28 of the TFEU). Originally, the free movement of goods was seen as part of a customs union between the Member States, involving the abolition of customs duties, quantitative restrictions on trade and equivalent measures, and the establishment of a common external tariff for the Union. Later on, the emphasis was placed on eliminating all remaining obstacles to the free movement of goods, with a view to creating the internal market. Achievements The elimination of customs duties and quantitative restrictions (quotas) between Member States was accomplished by 1 July 1968. This deadline was not met in the case of the supplementary objectives – the prohibition of measures having an equivalent effect, and the harmonisation of relevant national laws. These objectives became central in the ongoing effort to achieve free movement of goods.