> You don't need to be a member of the EU to be a member of the EU customs union. Yes you do. Read the ToR. > Monaco is not an EU member state, yet it is a m

> You don't need to be a member of the EU to be a member of the EU customs union. Yes you do. Read the ToR. > Monaco is not an EU member state, yet it is a member of the EU customs union. That is _a_ customs union with the EU, not _the_ EU customs union. c.f. that with Turkey. As to being in a customs union with the EU, it would have been pointless given the existence of the SM. Negotiating to be in the SM would have been much more useful. The SM was created because the CU had been stretched as much as it could, and could not really add any more value. The major changes, and improvements in movements of goods came post '94, once the SM was operational. Being in the SM, together with (unilateral) customs duties alignment would have been sufficient, and rendered moot any additional gain from being in a CU. Having an additional standalone VAT agreement would have removed any remaining barriers. However, that is all rather moot now.