7.1.1
European Union Law - Jersey's status in respect of EC Law

Extent: Jersey
22 March 2004
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Jersey is not a member state nor an associate member state of the European Union (EU). It is not part of the European Economic Area. The Island enjoys a special relationship with the EU, which was negotiated at the time of the United Kingdom's accession to the European Economic Community (EEC) in 1973. The nature and scope of the relationship is contained in Protocol No. 3, attached to the Act of Accession which governs the conditions of the United Kingdom's entry into the EEC. The Protocol makes it clear that limited parts of the Treaty of Rome 1957 have been applied to Jersey, at its request. The net effect of these provisions was to bring Jersey within the Common Customs Tariff and to allow it to participate in the EEC market in agricultural products and products processed from them. The applicable rules are as follows:

• Rules on customs matters and quantitative restrictions (provisions which restrict the import of goods)
• Rules on levies, import measures and competition in agricultural produce and product processed from them
• Rules governing the free movement of persons and services, but only to a limited extent

Other than in relation to the above, EU measures do not apply to Jersey and it remains free to determine locally how to legislate and regulate. This means that, in particular, the EU provisions on taxation, VAT, company law, financial services and consumer protection do not apply.