11/04/2006 (Agence Europe) - In a press release Thomas R. Vant, Secretary General of the BIAC (Business and Industry Advisory Committee), set up in 1992 as an independent and officially recognised body representing the business community at the OECD, covering 8 million businesses) declared, “Policy makers are mistaken when they believe that impeding foreign take-overs has any positive impact on national security, industrial policy, or domestic jobs”. Warning Member States in the organisation that they should opt for cooperation and economic development rather than the temptation of “protectionism”, Vant stated that, “the fear of government interference will chill the atmosphere for future investments”. Mr Vant is therefore calling on the OECD and Member States that signed up to the binding rules on the promotion of international investment to “closely monitor protectionist activities and if necessary, speak up against governments who undertake actions that contradict their commitments to existing OECD instruments”. (On the subject of the debate on protectionism and the Gaz de France/Suez/Enel and Arcelor/Mittal Steel affair, see EUROPE 9171 for discussions at the informal Ecofin Council of Vienna).