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| Europe |
| Europe studies radical trade veto plan |
| 2004-02-06 |
| MASSIVE HYPOCRISY ALERT. Governments would be allowed to ban imports from countries that did not share their national values and standards under proposals for radical changes to global trade rules being studied by Pascal Lamy, Europe’s trade commissioner. The changes are put forward in a discussion paper prepared for Mr Lamy, who has not taken a position on the issue, by his staff and outside advisers. His spokeswoman said he wanted to launch a debate at a conference this summer. The paper says legalising curbs on imports that do not meet individual societies’ "collective preferences" would promote global economic integration by reducing international tensions. What he really means is that it would give the EU official cover for what it’s been doing for years. grrrr World Trade Organisation rules prohibit import bans except in specified circumstances, such as when products are found to be unsafe. However, the paper says the WTO rules give too much weight to science and too little to local social and political sensitivities. The paper does not detail what kinds of imports the European Union might want to restrict. However, it says divergent national regulations and public attitudes worldwide threaten to create growing trade frictions over environmental policy and in sectors such as agriculture, services, software and pharmaceuticals. i.e. markets where the US is strong The EU is under strong international pressure over its regulatory policies because of its long-standing ban on hormone-treated beef and de facto moratorium on approving genetically modified crops. The US and other countries say the measures violate World Trade Organisation rules, though many European consumers support them. The paper insists it is not seeking a pretext to erect new import barriers. umm hmmm ... sure ... and I have an organic veggie farm to sell you, used only by a little old lady on weekends who picked off each insect lovingly by hand However, it acknowledges that economic liberals and developing countries - long hostile to efforts to link trade and social standards - might attack the idea as protectionist and Eurocentric. gee, maybe because it is?? "Mr Lamy believes ’collective preferences’ will shape trade policy increasingly in the future," his spokeswoman said. "He believes this is a debate we should have." See, when WE do it, it’s principled social action. When the US does it, it’s hegemony and exploitative and against international law (which we sign but don’t obey) an’, an’, STUFF like that. The paper says global integration is entering a new phase that directly threatens countries’ social models and regulatory systems, the EU is getting it’s head handed to it in foreign trade as a result of inefficient social regulations and the choices it makes about perceived risk vs. perceived security increasing the risk of "ideological" trade conflicts that will be hard to resolve through existing international mechanisms. Efforts to harmonise international standards, and rulings by the WTO’s dispute settlement procedures, are not enough to prevent future trade conflicts, the paper says. Governments imposing trade restrictions would need to show they were based on genuine public demand and social priorities Which should be easy since we have elites who speak in lockstep and a populace used to following along meekly |
| Posted by:rkb |
| #6 This is simply hysterical... but it seems hysteria is their norm... If they form a "buyer's cartel" (as they seem to be trying to fashion here) before (without?) becoming independently self-sufficient in all essential trade sectors, aren't they inviting eventual disaster? For example, given their Govt stance of nose held so high they live in Wotta load. |
| Posted by: .com 2004-2-6 11:04:06 AM |
| #5 (LOL)Go ahead,restrict Euorpean scientific development. |
| Posted by: Raptor 2004-2-6 10:59:07 AM |
| #4 "cutting off your nose to spite your face" more like, "I'm losing so I'm taking my ball and going home." |
| Posted by: anon 2004-2-6 10:34:27 AM |
| #3 Oh, this will end well. |
| Posted by: Anonymous2U 2004-2-6 10:24:42 AM |
| #2 When did they suspend the laws of economics in Europe? Do these people even shop for themselves or have someone else do it? |
| Posted by: whitecollar redneck 2004-2-6 9:37:37 AM |
| #1 my mother used to call this "cutting off your nose to spite your face". |
| Posted by: B 2004-2-6 9:17:02 AM |