Transatlantic Politics looks at “German protectionism against Nokia“:
German protectionism at its best: Nokia is a “subsidy locust” and promotes “caravan capitalism” for having decided to move its 2,300 emplyees-factory from the Germany to Romania, where workers cost 10 times less – claim German politicians and trade unions.
Even the European Commission promised some help from “anti-globalization” funds for the angry German workers, backed by influential trade unions and populist politicians, while the European Parliament launched an investigation into alleged abuse of EU funds in relocating to Romania. Everyone seems to forget that Nokia is the LAST mobile phone manufacturer to leave Germany, after Motorola and BenQ Siemens did the same last year and two years ago. And Nokia is not moving to China, like everyone else, but stays in the EU and gives a fair chance of development to Romania, the poorest member of the club after Bulgaria.
Yet principles such as “freedom of goods, labor and services” within the EU are easily forgotten when it comes to German protectionism.
Socialism: if you build it, they will leave. Which is why, back in 2002, Steven Den Beste wrote, “Europe is a high-tech disaster area“; policies such as this indicate that little has changed to alter that perception.
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