Proteccionismo na UE

A propósito do post do BrainstormZ, relembro as palavras do ministro sueco do comércio, ontem, no Financial Times:

«The European Union's response to higher Chinese textile exports shows "a growing and worrying protectionist trend" which could eventually undermine the EU's economic competitiveness, Sweden's trade minister has warned. Highlighting a growing divide within the 25-nation bloc over the benefits of trade liberalisation, Thomas Ostros told the FT: "There is an increase in protectionist ideas which I feel is very troublesome, not least in the light of the Lisbon strategy (to turn the EU into the world's most competitive economy.) In the long run, it will mean less economic growth and fewer jobs if we use that type of strategy." The warning comes as the European Commission is expected to adopt guidelines on Wednesday on how to apply so-called safeguard measures on Chinese clothing imports. (...)The row over Chinese clothing imports follows the worldwide lifting of textile quotas on January 1. A Brussels official said the 25-nation EU was now "profoundly and almost equally split" between countries advocating curbs and those, such as the UK and Sweden, warning that such measures would send a damaging signal about the EU's commitment to free trade."We have had a 10-year period to prepare ourselves for free trade in textiles and we should have used that period for preparation," said Mr Ostros. "It is not a sustainable strategy to shelter ourselves now from imports." »