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Methods of Protectionism

Protectionism involves protecting a country's domestic industries, companies and jobs from foreign competition. Protectionism could take the form of tariffs, quotas or other barriers to trade.

Tariffs

Tariffs

  • Tariffs are a tax imposed on a product when it is imported into a country, which increases the price of imports to reduce the competitiveness of the goods (promoting domestic goods and services in the process).
  • Tariffs raise tax revenue for the importing country. These funds could even be used to subsidise domestic firms.
  • Tariffs will probably increase the price of goods faced by domestic consumers.
Import quotas

Import quotas

  • Quotas restrict the actual quantity of good imported.
  • They can be a 'cap' on the number of goods which can be imported, reducing foreign supply.
  • Quotas allow governments to have exact control over the quantity of goods imported but don't raise any tax revenue.
  • Quotas will probably increase the price of goods faced by domestic consumers.
Non-tariff barriers

Non-tariff barriers

  • Non-tariff barriers to trade can include import bans, rules of origin (e.g. having to prove a product did not come from a conflict zone), quality conditions imposed by the importing country on the exporting countries etc.
  • Exchange rate manipulation: A government / central bank may intervene in the foreign exchange market to lower the value of its currency by selling its currency in the foreign exchange market. This will give its exports a price advantage abroad.
Subsidies to domestic producers

Subsidies to domestic producers

  • Governments can give subsidies to domestic producers to help them to compete against other providers internationally.
  • The EU limits the subsidies that nations are allowed to implement under 'EU State Aid' rules.
  • A subsidy would reduce a firms' costs and make them more price competitive internationally.
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