Brussels, 14/02/2001 (Agence Europe) - The Union has improved the opening of its market to outside competition in an almost exemplary fashion, by implementing the world's most ambitious economic integration programme - the European single market - and by concluding a large number of free trade agreements. This, in substance, is what is highlighted in the results of a new study published by the OECD, which also welcomes the active part that Europeans have played in multilateral liberalisation, while mentioning the strong protection that continues to exist for textiles and agriculture.
The work, entitled "EU trade policies and their economic impact" takes stock of the measures already taken or envisaged by the Union for liberalising foreign trade. Many comparisons are made, mainly with the United States and Japan, as well as the effect of trade liberalisation on economic results, on labour markets and on non-member countries. According to this study, centralisation at Community level of most of the decisions concerning commercial policy tend to strengthen European negotiating power and, although opposed to the opening up of certain sectors, the general appraisal is encouraging. Furthermore, regional integration and the effort made for external liberalisation go hand in hand and, according to the authors of the report, had a positive impact on growth.
Looking to the future, the OECD notes that the Union intends to actively pursue the process of multilateral liberalisation and strengthen integration with the countries of Eastern Europe and the Mediterranean countries, while improving cooperation with its main trading partners on trade-related issues. At a time when the EU is putting pressure on so that a new round of multilateral trade talks may be rapidly prepared, the experience gained during the setting in place of the single market could prove vital for making integration move forward on a far larger scale, conclude the authors.
The 146-page study is published by OECD, Paris 2000, ISBN 92-64-28536-9 (11 00 18 2). It is available in electronic version (pdf) at the price of 20 euros.