EU to reward treaties with tariffs

The EU cares nothing for the developing world, that much is clear from its addiction to CAP. However, it likes to show an image of taking the moral high road. Thus we have this horrendous idea:

Developing countries that implement the Kyoto protocol and other international treaties on human rights, labour standards and the environment will be rewarded with a lighter tariff burden, the European Commission announced yesterday. The conventions involved include those against forced labour, child labour, racial and sexual discrimination as well as an agreement defending workers' rights to organise themselves and bargain collectively.

Its not enough to spread neo-socialist ideas within the boundaries of the EU but other weaker countries must be forced down the same path as well. Of course the most important thing is to export damaging trade union policies. So who are the lucky candidates and what can they gain:

Countries will receive duty-free access for about 7,200 product lines, including many sensitive products such as agricultural goods. The normal preference scheme, in contrast, only gives such access to 40 per cent of this list of goods. The new rule is directed only at smaller countries with vulnerable and poorly diversified economies.

So in exchange for changing your laws to suit Europe, the poorest nations in the world will receive access to the EU markets. These are the very countries which need to be given unilateral access to our markets, and without which their chances of development are extremely slim. Meeting the EU’s requirements will prove close to impossible and counter productive for these countries. Underlying all of this is a determination not to give full access to the EU markets, whilst pretending that the opportunity exists.