Originally Posted by
Zaphod
->
Why?
Whenever it suits because of threats, whether assumed or real.
Look at the EU ban on exporting covid vaccines for one excellent example.
Who was the primary target of that debacle?
Yes, the UK.
The rest of your ramble is as usual both misleading and outdated.
Unless you really didn't know that were are allegedly on track to sign a trade deal with Australia at the G7 summit, according to Liz Truss via The Times?
Tell us if you can: where
exactly are the EU at with a trade deal with Oz?
You ask why it is possible to buy goods cheaper from a global market than a protectionist union so TBH I'm not sure if you were being serious or if it was some sort of failed attempt at sarcasm?
So I will give you just one example from what I'm pretty sure could be a very long list:
Oranges.
The EU subsidizes Valencian oranges.
As an EU member you must pay sometimes huge extra tariffs on imported (to the EU) oranges to protect EU growers in Spain.
South African oranges are cheaper.
Israeli too and there are bound to be others.