Europe prepares for a mighty trade war
Will it be able to stick to its rule-abiding principles?
“We cannot carry on trade without war, nor war without trade,” wrote Jan Pieterszoon Coen, a brutal governor-general of the Dutch East India Company, to shareholders in 1614. Four centuries later, things sound a bit different. “Let’s make no mistake: assertiveness is a prerequisite for keeping our markets open,” says Sabine Weyand, the EU’s top trade negotiator. After decades during which America supported the global rules-based trade order and European commerce thrived, the bloc now has to learn how to do business in a fractious world.
This article appeared in the Finance & economics section of the print edition under the headline “Principle concern”
Finance & economics July 13th 2024
From the July 13th 2024 edition
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