G7 to focus on protectionism, says Italy

Finance ministers from the G7 most industrialised countries will discuss protectionism and the financial crisis at a meeting in Milan from Friday, Italy's finance ministry said.
"The February meeting will be mainly devoted to the global systemic response to the current crisis," said a statement on the ministry's website.
"Fostering a common framework for policy action and fighting protectionist pressures, which tend to gain strength in difficult economic conditions, will be the centrepiece of our work," the statement continued.
The debate over protectionism began after a "Buy American" clause in the US economic stimulus package being pushed through the US congress sparked concern inside the European Union.