Comments on: U.S. complains about European electronics taxes

Bush administration claims European customs officials are taxing imports of certain monitors, set-top boxes, and printers in violation of a 1996 trade agreement.

[suyts]

Finally, the U.S. is responding to an obvious EU bias against U.S. tech companies.

[Newspeak finder]

Europe will act in the interests if its citizens whether any foreign country likes it or not and as the EU see fit.

Europe will simply not be ordered about by any foreign country.

[CompEng]

That might be a sensible stance in the absence of any historical context. Unfortunately, there is such a thing as the WTO that the EU has joined. This political body is often used to strong-arm the U.S. into accepting the protectionism of other countries, so in a sense it's kind of nice to see a claim the other way. I believe it has been a while since the EU has been called to honor their side of an agreement by the WTO.

On the other hand, I have no real faith in the WTO as a forum to fairly manage trade concerns, and I don't trust my own government much more. But at least when Americans get a clue about who current trade paradigms are hurting the nation we can vote those idiots out. The WTO does more lasting harm.

[AIDAN-KEANLY]

Methinks the US lady doth protest far too much...or are they trying to deflect the attention away from the latest (WTO banned) farming subsidies right in the middle of sensitve trade negotiations...more proof of imperialist arrogance or just plan ignorance, or a bit of both?

[benjaminstraight]

Good the US is fighting back.