Brussels, 28/05/2010 (Agence Europe) - According to the 6th report on potentially restrictive measures adopted by EU trading partners, published on 28 May by the European Commission, nearly 280 measures aimed at trade restrictions have been adopted by the EU's key training partners during the economic crisis over the past 18 months (October 2008 to April 2010). These countries are: Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Belarus, Brazil, Canada, China, Ecuador, Egypt, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Paraguay, Philippines, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, Switzerland, Taiwan, Turkey, Ukraine, United States and Vietnam. Also, unlike the G20 commitments, practically no measures have been brought to an end (fewer than 20), although signs of recovery have been noted in most countries. The European Commission therefore invites the EU's trading partners to waive these restrictions in order to give a boost to economic recovery. Protectionist measures range from traditional trade barriers, such as import bans or higher customs duties, to policies which encourage the purchase of national goods, and other policies applied behind the borders. The report points out that many new trade barriers swiftly become lasting characteristics of the global trading system. The Commission sees the consolidation of most increases in duties brought in by Russia during the economic crisis, since entry into force of customs union between Russia, Kazakhstan and Belarus on 1 January 2010, as a telling example of how crisis-related measures become a permanent feature of the trading environment.
The report is available at: http: //trade.ec.europa.eu/doclib/html/146198.htm. (E.H./transl.jl)