IX.

Nemzetkzi kereskedelem
a. Protekcionizmus, szabad kereskedelem
b. A nemzetkzi kereskedelmi szervezetek funkcii
International trade means export and import. It is the exchange of goods,
services and capital between the countries. In most countries, such trade
represents a significant share of gross domestic product (GDP). While
international trade has been present through the history (see Silk Road,
Amber Road), its economic, social, and political importance has been rising in
recent centuries. Industrialization, advanced technology transportation,
globalization, multinational corporations, and outsourcing are all having a
major impact on the international trade system. Increasing international trade
is crucial to the continuance of globalization.
a. Protectionism and free trade

Protectionism is the economic policy of limiting trade between states

(countries) through methods such as tariffs on imported goods, restrictive
quotas, and a variety of other government regulations designed to allow
fair competition between imports /goods and services produced
domestically.
This policy contrasts with free trade, where governments keep trade
restrictions to a minimum. In recent years, protectionism has become
closely aligned with anti-globalization and anti-immigration.
Free trade is a policy in international markets in which governments do
not restrict imports or exports. Free trade is exemplified by the European
Union / European Economic Area and the North American Free Trade
Agreement, which have established open markets. Most nations are today
members of the World Trade Organization (WTO) multilateral trade
agreements.

The aim of trade restrictions and protectionism:

1. to protect domestic industries from international competition
(to save jobs)
2. to protect domestic industries from unfair international
competition (e.g.: dumping; when a company tries to sell
goods at a lower price in a foreign country than in the home
market
3. to stimulate domestic activity
4. to increase income (especially tariff)
BUT:
1. if it goes too far it makes more harm than benefits to the
country
2. trade barriers increase the prices of import and consumers
may have to pay more for the goods produced by their own
domestic industries

3. if the domestic industries operate behind a wall, they are

protected from foreign competition but also from innovation
and knowledge so they can become inefficient.
For these and other reasons, the GATT (General Agreements on Tariff and Trade)
aims to reduce or erase tariffs, quotas and non tariff barriers to promote and
develop free world trade.
o

Forms of trade control

1. Tariff barriers (affects the price. It is a governmental tax put
on a good shipped internationally. Governments do it to raise
money and to increase the price of import)
a. export tarif
b. transit tarif
c. import tarif
2. Non tariff barriers (may affect the price or quantity)
a. subsidy (it is a grant given by the government to the
producer to be able to reduce its price. It will make
selling overseas cheaper and more profitable)
b. quotas kontingensek (it is a restriction on the quantity
of the export or import)
c. Embargo (a specific type of quota which prohibits all
trade)

b.) The functions of the international trade organisations

The most important trade liberalisation activity after WW2 has been
through GATT (General Agreements on Tariff and Trade) which began in
1947 with 23 members. It was a multilateral treaty.
Its aim was to:
o give the world a set of rules under which trade negotiations can take
place
o to reduce trade barriers and to reach further liberalisation of world
trade
GATT principles:
o protection only through tariffs
o trade without discrimination ( if a country gives a trade reduction to
one country it must give the same reduction to all other countries)
o trade conflicts should be settled by consultation and arbitration

Nowadays the WTO (World Trade Organization) is the successor of GATT. It

was established in 1995 (after the1984- 1994 GATT Uruguay Round)
The World Trade Organization (WTO) is an organization that intends to
supervise and liberalize international trade. The organization officially
started on 1 January 1995 under the Marrakech Agreement, signed by 123
nations, replacing the GATT.

The organization is trying to complete negotiations on the Doha

Development Round, which was launched in 2001 with a focus on the
needs of developing countries. In June 2012, the future of the Doha Round
remained uncertain. The conflict between free trade on industrial goods
and services but protectionism on farm subsidies to domestic agricultural
sector (requested by developed countries) remain the major obstacles.
As a result, there has been an increasing number of bilateral free trade
agreements
signed.
plusz ide elmondani az elejrl a free trade rszt.