Green protectionism is a trap for the EU

Excessive market regulations related to the problem of environmental protection will bring negative impact on the EU economies – claims Globalization Institute. 

In the press release, published after the conference in the European Parliament in Brussels, Polish think-tank summarizes that protectionism and excessive interventionism could harm the European Union, especially during the economic crisis. 

– Economic protectionism is a philosophy of war, and like every war it causes additional costs for the economy, which costumers must pay for – points out Jacek Spendel, Globalization Institute’s Director. – Nowadays protectionism and interventionism are often justified by the necessity of environmental protection – he adds.

Unfortunately, many kinds of protectionist policies in fact does not serve the case of natural environment but rather short-term interest of the specific branches of the industry.  

– Regarding biofuels, it would be both less harmful for the natural environment and economically advantageous to import biofuels from abroad than to close the markets – says dr. Christoph Vietze from the University in Jena, Germany. 

Experts from the Globalization Institute believe that instead of the economic war against whole world, it would be beneficial for the EU to become open for foreign competition and globalization, even at the expense of the internal reforms. Economies of countries like China or India may dominate the global economy as soon as in 2020. That is why the European Union must be ready to face competition and not continue to focus on developing new forms of internal markets protection, what brings only mock benefits. 

– While most people agree that protectionism makes everyone lose, some EU measures amount to introducing protectionism through the back-door, making use of environmental considerations. The EU isn't fixing the existing problems with the EU's climate policy, as the Emissions Trading Scheme which has ended up supporting major polluters – comments the issue Pieter Cleppe, head of the Open Europe’s Brussels office.

For more information please ask:

Jacek Spendel

Director

Globalization Institute

tel. +48 509 615 488

spendel@globalizacja.org