Brussels, 30/10/2012 (Agence Europe) - In the eye of a storm between France and the Commission over the management of the trade policy, Commissioner for the Internal Market Michel Barnier has acknowledged that the EU has played into the hands of ultra-liberal ideology with its blind support of free trade, but he reaffirms that it rejects protectionism.
The Frenchman's words were unequivocal and smacked of a disavowal for those in favour of the blind pro-free-trade approach of the Commission and certain European capitals. “Yes, Europe has been naive. Yes, Europe has played into the hands of ultra-liberal ideology. In this great ultra-liberal wind, we thought that we could open all doors and all windows, without others doing the same”, Barnier told an interview with Radio classique on Tuesday 30 November (our translation). Europe has been naive in its trade relations, particularly with China, he intimated.
Barnier, a firm proponent of the principle of a “social competitive market economy”, rejects protectionism as a solution. “If we cut ourselves off behind our national borders, we are all sunk. It is not a question of closing off our markets or cutting ourselves off. There are millions of jobs in France which depend on exports. It is a question of getting the others to open up their markets in reciprocation”, he stressed. Last week, his colleague for trade, the Belgian Liberal, Karel De Gucht, spoke out against protectionism and the anti-globalist stance of the French Minister for Industrial Renewal, Arnaud Montebourg, having himself been criticised by Paris over his management of the dossier of the free-trade agreement with South Korea (see EUROPE 10716). “China represents one billion consumers. We need to ensure that our trade with China is fair”, Barnier concluded, attacking, without referring to Montebourg, “the sovereignists who would like to close off the French economy”. (EH/transl.fl)