EU TRADE BARRIERS AFFECT DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
 

EU TRADE BARRIERS AFFECT DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
September 19, 2003
Crop Biotech Update
A new report titled ½EU Trade Barriers Kill was recently released by the
Centre for the New Europe (CNE). Authored by Stephen Pollard, Alberto
Mingardi, Cecile Philippe, and Dr. Sean Gabb, this new report explores the
impact of the European Union (EU) trade regulations and barriers on the
developing world.
According to the report, trade barriers imposed by the EU limits the access
of developing countries to the European market, which is considered the
richest in the world. The EU trade barriers are said to slow down the
development of the poorest countries in the world, and one of these is
Africa.
The authors say that if Africa could increase its share of world trade by
just one percent, it would earn an additional £49 billion a year. This would
be enough to lift 128 million people out of extreme poverty. If the poorest
countries as a whole could increase their share of world exports by five per
cent, that would generate £248 billion or $350 billion, raising millions
more out of extreme poverty.
The EU, the United States, Japan and Canada account for 75% of the world�s
output. These countries are the supposed destinations for exports from the
poorest countries. While these countries are discussing world trade
liberalization, they are said to have kept their domestic markets closed to
agricultural and textile exports from the developing world.
The authors conclude that for the European Union to open its markets to the
poorest countries of the world is the moral, humane thing to do. It is also
directly of benefit to the true interests of European consumers and
producers, and the interests of everyone.
Read the full report at
http://www.cne.org/pub_pdf/2003_09_0...iers_kill.pdf.