The long slide into protectionism
The economy of the European Union is larger than that of China or the US. So a European economic, banking and debt seizure has global ramifications, writes Gideon Rachman
ARCHIVED
The New Protectionism
Resources
As the financial crisis develops, concerns over free trade are growing as measures aimed at protecting national economies put the global economy at risk.
More in this section
Emerging protectionism hits trade, EU warns
European Union documents 131 new restrictive measures adopted by trading partners in past year raising total to 424 since crisis began
Call for US tariffs on solar panel imports
Low-priced stock from China deemed to be damaging the domestic renewable energy sector has angered the industry
Japan in WTO move over Brazil car import tax
The country argued the measure was necessary to defend the suffering car manufacturing industry from the surging Brazilian real
Brazil hits imported cars with tax increase
Analysts said the move would add to the country’s high inflation, which is already beyond the official target of 4.5 per cent plus or minus 2 percentage points
WTO clears US block on Chinese tyres
Trade body says move in 2009 was legal, a decision that attracted accusations that Washington was stoking protectionism
Related content and features
Comment
No charge to keep
The EU is right to extend and expand price caps on mobile phone and data services. Their high level makes a mockery of the single market
Obama has to tell Beijing some hard truths
The G20 stalemate has intensified the feud over currencies and trade rather than helped to resolve it. Mr Obama has to notify China privately that his administration will support new legislation and take China to the WTO unless it lets the renminbi rise, writes Fred Bergsten
Merkel: The true believer
Concerned at rising trade friction, the German chancellor makes clear she will work to heal any rifts that threaten the G20’s economic stability role
Getting a grip on Chinese tyres
Barack Obama’s ruling will worsen tension, but unless it proves to be the first in a string of bad decisions, it need not be catastrophic. Cool heads can stop a global trade conflagration
The era of cheap capital draws to a close
Worries about hot capital moving too quickly into emerging markets could soon be replaced by an era of financial protectionism, write Richard Dobbs and Michael Spence
Anti-anti-dumping
European Union trade officials have rejected a plan to extend the ‘anti-dumping’ duties levied on shoe imports from China and Vietnam. The episode points up the opaque and arbitrary nature of EU trade laws
The last chance to avoid a global trade war
Other economies must absorb a large share of the European shock – or the US will be forced into tariffs and import quotas, writes Michael Pettis
Obama’s decision on tariffs is calculated cynicism
The US may import fewer tyres from China, but this decision is not going to jumpstart moribund domestic tyre production. This is protectionism without the protection, writes Charles Freeman
Regulatory protectionism won’t stop shocks
The fall out from the financial crisis had a far-reaching impact, but putting the brakes on globalisation is not the right answer, writes Henny Sender
Lex
To serve and protect
Economic nationalism, it is argued, will tip the world into a Great Depression. This is a horrifying but distant prospect
Economic patriotism
When a government can spray round a trillion dollars on more or less what it pleases, everything gets political real fast
Video
Fall-out from the crisis
The head of the World Trade Organisation on his fears of rising protectionism
Trade outlook
The World Bank’s chief economist on how protectionism could affect the economic outlook
Changes to global trade
The chief of DHL Express on why protectionism is a serious risk to prosperity
More Stories
