Protectionism on the rise

The timing - on the brink of Brexit - of the Department of Finance’s public consultation on anti-transfer pricing tax rules is not ideal

Paschal Donohoe’s Department of Finance has announced a new public consultation Pic: Feargal Ward

When the history of the early 21st century is being written, I wonder if commentators will identify the rise of protectionism as a phenomenon. We have seen a dwindling of confidence in liberal trade values in the last decade.

This has made it difficult to get the likes of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership, the proposed new US/EU trade agreement across the line. The Comprehensive Economic Trade Agreement, the trade deal between ...