@BORIS_WATCH @Joe_Mayes Non-tariff barriers are other conditions/criteria which, even though are not tariffs, may end-up having a tariff-like effect, that is an increase of costs and, thus, of the price paid by the buyer (e.g. a theoretical example, a requirement that all beer exported to Belgium) 1/

@Joe_Mayes 2/ In the theoretical example, a beer exporter would be forced to change his supplier of bottles or to invest in a separate bottling line for its production deemed for export to Belgium. Hence, the extra costs that will have to be covered (usually by the end-customer).

@Joe_Mayes 3/ Even though it might seem ridiculous, there are many real examples of such „disguised restrictions”. Under the EU Law they are prohibited in the relations between the EU member states because they hamper the free movement of goods.

@Joe_Mayes 4/ Coming back to the confusion created by the foggy official communication, this comes probably from the terminology used (sometimes incorrectly), insufficiently explained and superimposed on the promises made in 2016 (we will have the same conditions like we were in the SM etc)

@Joe_Mayes 5/ So, in international trade, charging import/export tariffs is the norm. There are also quotas and contingents (e.g. the quantities of a given product the exporters from country A are allowed to export to country). The quotas are also used by the EU.