Eurobarometer: EU citizens benefit from international trade. Dombrovskis, “need to protect European consumers and producers”

According to a Eurobarometer survey on international trade published today, “over six in ten Europeans believe they benefit from international trade”, which is an increase compared to the last such survey in 2019. The survey reveals that “Europeans value the benefits brought by international trade, such as wider consumer choice and more affordable products”. Moreover, they support the EU’s role “in global trade”, and have “a keen interest in leveraging trade policy for broader societal benefits, and a critical awareness of the strategic imperatives posed by geopolitical tensions”. Support for the EU’s central role in negotiating and defending the Member State’s interests remains strong: 74% of Europeans agree that the EU “is more effective in defending the trade interests of Member States than Member States acting on their own”. Moreover, 82% of EU citizens believe that international trade rules are needed to maintain a level playing field. EU Commission Vice-President Valdis Dombrovskis said: “We hear loud and clear the message that the EU needs to defend citizens from unfair trade, and that EU trade policy must be more than imports and exports. Trade has a role to play in protecting European consumers, producers and farmers, as well as increasing the EU’s competitiveness and enhancing its economic security”.
Valentina Bombelli