Movement of goods

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Last updated: 22 June 2026Published: 19 June 2025

Source: https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php/Glossary:Movement_of_goods

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Definition & Explanation

The movement of goods refers to all physical transfers of products between points of production, storage, and consumption—whether within a single country or across international borders. In customs and trade law, the decisive distinction is between domestic movement entirely within one customs territory, which requires no customs clearance, and cross-border movement, which triggers import, export, or transit procedures with the corresponding documentation: commercial invoice, packing list, and transport document. Freight forwarders and customs brokers coordinate transport mode, routing, and all regulatory formalities on behalf of shippers. Not to be confused with the movement of capital or trade in services, which are governed by separate legal frameworks.

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