Czech presidency calls summit on protectionism

The Czech EU presidency has called a special summit to address the danger of protectionism in Europe. Speaking at a meeting of finance ministers in Brussels on Tuesday, the Czech finance minister, Miroslav Kalousek, said protectionism presented the biggest risk for Europe in the present day and said it was vital to improve coordination in crisis management within the EU. The planned summit is to take place before the end of the month and its main goal is to examine various aspects of the EU recovery plan and assess its efficiency. The move comes in the midst of a row between France and other member states over proposed protectionist measures.