Global revision. The management of the EU's trade policy is changing before our very eyes. The effects can already be seen in relations with third countries, even though they are not seen as particularly remarkable by the general public. From time to time, some element or other of this evolution attracts the attention of the information media; but these are isolated cases, such as the European reaction to the nationalisation of a Spanish petroleum company in Argentina. In reality, and this is the important thing, we are not looking at isolated cases, but a significant revision of Europe's attitude to trade with third countries, led under the impetus of European Trade Commissioner Karel De Gucht. The EU's trade relations with the rest of the world are and (more importantly) will be changed progressively, in a broadly positive sense. The first main element lies in a concept which is all too often overlooked or not always respected; the requirement for real reciprocity.
Making reciprocity a reality. Admittedly, what is happening is not always, at first sight, as spectacular as the monetary and financial changes. The modernisation of European behaviour in the field of trade comprises neither a revision of international rules, nor a structural transformation of the area in question. Rather, the aim is to correct anomalies, by seeing the trade policy as a whole and taking account, amongst other things, of the link between the trade in goods, access to public procurement markets and rules on investment. The two principals pursued are: the real reciprocity of third countries and the end to abuse and irregularities.
Necessity and urgency. This action is particularly necessary as the behaviour which is harmful to Europe is not diminishing; if anything, the trend is upwards. The latest report by the European Commission on “Trade restriction measures adopted by third countries” (see EUROPE 10628) states that these measures continue to increase. This analysis, which looks at the EU4s 31 largest trade partners, observes that between September 2011 and April of this year, 123 new restrictions were brought in whilst just 13 existing ones were removed. Since October 2008, 89 restrictions have been abolished, out of a total list of 534. In the view of the Commission, these statistics (which relate to just some of the countries with which the EU trades) indicate a sharp increase in protectionism in the world, with the so-called emerging countries (Latin America) and Russia particularly cited.
Looking at all aspects. The EU's discovery of anomalies and the need to correct them is nothing new: this is an objective which Mr De Gucht has been pursuing for years and in principle, the member states are on his side. On 21 December 2010, the Council adopted its “Conclusions on the trade policy of the EU”, which already laid down the objectives: freedom of trade, as you would expect, but involving reciprocity in all areas related to trade: public procurement; intellectual property rights; regulatory and non-tariff obstacles; equivalence of guarantees in the field of investment. For their part, the European Parliament and a number of organisations extend the principle of reciprocity to other conditions, such as animal welfare, the respect for ecological requirements and child labour.
Fidelity to free trade, but “less naïve”. At the time, Mr De Gucht launched a slogan: “Fidelity to free trade, but less naïve”. It has taken two and a half years and bottom-up changes in Europe's reality for this slogan to become imperative. From the framework of the WTO (World Trade Organisation) to the EU's negotiations with groups of countries (now a somewhat rare procedure) and bilateral talks, the EU is more attentive to the real situations of each partner. The “largest free-trade zone in the world” between the EU and Mercosur has become a rhetorical feature valid for discussions and a few trips by MEPs. The idea of a global EU-ASEAN agreement was put on ice at least two years ago. Negotiations with South Korea are arguably representative of current developments. As for the case of the United States, this one is unique. The Community countries need to find their way back to exporting outside the EU. This is a fundamental aspect of economic recovery in Europe. This section will return to a number of aspects of it in detail. (FR/transl.fl)