France reported yesterday that will create a new tax to tax CO2 emissions to the environment, and this tax will apply to both businesses and consumers. The tax is 17 € per tonne of emission for the emissions of gas, coal and oil (the electricity is excluded because it is practically all nuclear).

However, this measure is accompanied by an even more controversial. And that creates new duties for products imported from countries without environmental regulations in the European equivalent, ie have no plans to reduce their emissions.

This has been a new momentum in France of protectionism. With the excuse of the environment, imposed on imports of developing countries. And this will have serious consequences for world trade.

That’s one way of seeing. Another is that if we strive to reduce emissions and other countries, not only in the long run will destroy jobs in our countries, as not meeting international standards have a competitive advantage, but also did not improve the environment , since the CO2 does not respect boundaries.

Thus, although the merits of the case has some protectionist intent in this case the likely result if all EU countries to make that determination would be that developing countries should be aware of the environment. And I think that while it may cut its development potential in the short term, long term it will be better for everyone.

Image | Taras Kalapun