The EU Nixes the Latest Bad Idea From the French
"Hey, Let's Make Everybody Else Less Competitive!"
By Pat Cleary Posted in Economy | Featured Stories — Comments (9) / Email this page » / Leave a comment »
Well, the French are at it again. Struggling with their own lack of competitiveness, they figure it's easier to drag everyone else down than it is to bring themselves up. Heck, their 35-hour work week is even making baguettes more expensive. What's a Parisian to do? Clunky workplace regs are making things more expensive? Quel surprise!
Their latest idea is to levy a "green tax" on goods from countries who have not ratified the political (not environmental) document known as the Kyoto Protocol. You'll remember this is the one that failed 95-0 in the US Senate when Al Gore was President of the Senate and Bill Clinton was President of the US. And, never mind that most signatories to the Protocol will miss their targets by a mile. What the heck, at least they signed it. Like we said, it's a political document with all the weight of a Liz Taylor marriage license. (Somebody explain that joke to the young 'uns, OK?)
But not so fast. According to this article in the Financial Times, Peter Mandelson, the EU's trade commissioner has dismissed the idea out of hand, saying this not only is a likely breach of trade rules but also, "not good politics." He also said that the proposal would be “highly problematic under World Trade Organization rules and almost impossible to implement in practice”.
Ya think?
"Bravo" to Peter Mandelson for this clear-headed move to protect the world trading system against the latest bone-headed proposal from the French. Maybe they oughta just stick to the food.
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The EU Nixes the Latest Bad Idea From the French 9 Comments (0 topical, 9 editorial, 0 hidden) Post a comment »
If they instigated a round of reciprocal tariffs, it would be like flushing.
It has been hijacked for two purposes.
1) To hamstring more competitive enterprisesor nations. Think a beaurocratic version of The Handicapper General from the Kurt Vonnegut Story Harrison Bergeron.
2) To justify the ambitions of pettifogging tyrants withion a free and open society.
2006 is done, 2008 is another day and another fight
Leave it to the French...
"No compromise with the main purpose, no peace till victory, no pact with unrepentant wrong." - Winston Churchill
Pat jibed:
with all the weight of a Liz Taylor marriage license.
Now I understand the push for homosexual marriage; they don't think it means anything in the first place!
While Rome burns, or in this case, Paris. It's amazing how wrapped up the Frenchies (or most Euro's, for that matter) are in these piddling problems while large sections of their own population are setting things on fire, rioting, and setting off bombs.
Cheers,
Scott in Indy
I think the French should go ahead with this, then we are off the hook for their many breaches of free trade protocol, (like making US cosmetic manufacturers reformulate all of their products). We should place tariffs on their overrated wine and cheese.
"Nothing works like freedom, Nothing succeeds like liberty"
Kyle
They had a brief interview with one of the greens that was pushing for this. The interviewer was tossing softballs but the mans love of being able to cause problems for others was seeping through.
liberal elites don't really want to do anything about problems but just discuss them, sign off on legislation so they look good, and let the little people do the enforcement. It's feelgood governing.
If you always find yourself arguing the exceptions rather than the rule you just might be rapidly sliding down your own slippery slope to irrelevance. -CommonCents
the smart thing to do is to raise taxes, works every time.
With ideas like this no wonder the French are proud and regard themselves as the world's brain.
Next, the water mill as solution to the energy and environmental problem!
"a man's admiration for absolute government is proportinate to the contempt he feels for those around him". Tocqueville