EN
The purpose of this paper is an empirical analysis of the role of liberalization and protectionism in trade policy, with particular emphasis on international agricultural trade. From this analysis it is concluded that all countries and groups of countries pursue their own interests in the application of the regulation of international trade flows. Relatively high levels of protectionism occurs in agricultural trade. The results of the analysis lead to the thesis that, despite the theoretical attractiveness of the idea of free trade on a global scale, the practical conditions of the world economy caused the need for all countries to use protectionist policy instruments, in parallel with the liberalization projects.