Young liberals have always been staunch defenders of international trade and the abolition of trade barriers. The free market has always been a driving force in creating wealth and prosperity. The individual free exchange of goods and services has proven to be the most effective mean to use scarce resources. We believe that only a system of willing buyers and willing sellers operating without hindrance can produce a global trading system,which will benefit the poor just as much as the rich. For example East Asia, and now India and China, lifted millions out of poverty by liberalizing trade arrangements.

A free marked need some regulation in order to prevent malfunctions (such as monopolies, public health etc). One of the most important issues in international trade is consumer safety. Different countries have different rules regarding fabrication, labeling, transportation etc. For many goods, this is not a problem; consumers can check the quality of the goods before they purchase them. Thanks to the working of the free market system and after a process of trial and error, only the best suppliers will win the contracts. But what when public health is at stake? Rules and regulations regarding labeling are not standardized, nor globalised. This gives consumer great difficulties in identifying the differences between different products. Incomplete information is making the market less free and sometimes even threatens consumer safety.

During the financial crisis we have seen many populists will try to win over the EU citizens with the promise to install protectionist measures. We as liberals know that these measures can and will not work. Therefore LYMEC proposes to also tackle within the WTO negotiations the question of product safety and consumer protection.

More Free trade creates more wealth for more people.

We hope that you will join this campaign. We will have a common street-action on the 25th of April at 15 o’clock. At this site you will find information on which of our Member Organisations is participation in the action. On this site you will also find information about this topic and see what young liberals that are running for the European Parliament elections in June 2009 is thinking about this topic.