Transatlantic Politics

German protectionism at its best: Finish corporation Nokia is a "subsidy locust" and promotes "caravan capitalism" for having decided to move its 2,300 employees-factory from Germany to Romania, where workers cost 10 times less.  Such are the claims made by German politicians and trade unions.

Even the European Commission promised some help from "anti-globalization" funds for the angry German workers, who are backed by influential trade unions and populist politicians.  The European Parliament got into the act as well by launching an investigation into the alleged abuse of EU funds in relocating to Romania. Everyone seems to forget that Nokia is the LAST mobile phone manufacturer to leave Germany, after Motorola and BenQ Siemens did the same over the past two years. And Nokia is not moving to China, like everyone else, but stays in the EU and gives a fair chance of development to Romania, the poorest member of the club after Bulgaria.

Yet principles such as "freedom of goods, labor and services" within the EU are easily forgotten when it comes to German protectionism.

more here.

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