EU Finds Trade Barriers Rising Since Global Crisis

A new report by the EU’s trade commissioner states that many countries have instituted trade restrictions on European exporters amid the global economic crisis. The report expects some countries to maintain these trade restrictions once the crisis is over. Interestingly, there appears to be a link between membership in the World Trade Organization and countries with restrictive trade measures: non-WTO members, like Russia, have enacted more widespread trade barriers than those in the WTO. Even so, some WTO members, such as Argentina, have made use of as many restrictive measures as possible under the rules. Though these are not signs that countries have rejected free trade, such barriers are limiting global commerce. – Yale Global