Plant Health and the Single European Market James W. Goodford In
1985 the European Community Governments agreed to establish a
single market, which meant abolishing restrictions on trade
between the member states. This went far beyond the removal of
certain customs duties and non-tariff barriers to trade which
resulted when the common market was first created. The idea was
that in future there would be no greater restraint on trade
between the UK and France than between Kent and Sussex (for
example). The term normally used to describe this idea is free
circulation. The consequences of this decision, now on the way
to implementation, are that by 31 December 1992 (the date set in
the Single Market Act) there will be a slackening of frontier
controls at any border between two member states. The Customs
Entry form, a document which has always represented the focus of
control and monitoring of goods entering the UK will disappear
completely for imports—and this of course includes plants and
plant propagating mater