par Mathieu, Josue ;Weinblum, Sharon
Référence Perspectives on European politics and society, 14, 2, page (185-202)
Publication Publié, 2013
Article révisé par les pairs
Résumé : The European Union considers that “Trade Defence Instruments” – encompassing anti-dumping, countervailing duties and safeguards – are meant to be a cornerstone of the EU trade policy in the battle against “unfair competition from across the globe”. At the same time, what exactly these instruments are supposed to fight – “unfair trade practices” – is somehow woolly, to say the least. This article argues that it is crucial to unpack the different meanings bestowed on the concept of unfair trade. An interpretative perspective is therefore adopted in order to highlight the complexity behind this notion within discourse, through a systematic analysis of the debates about anti-dumping held within the European Parliament during the current legislative session. Adopting an inductive approach, the article shows that a specific story-line on unfair trade has become dominant. The kaleidoscopic reality behind unfair trade is then exposed, showing that this notion is a floating signifier. On this backcloth, the contribution puts forward the argument that the strength of the institutionalisation of trade defence instruments precisely relies on this character of unfair trade as a floating signifier.