A
trade restriction is an artificial restriction on the trade of goods and/or services between two countries. It is the byproduct of
protectionism. However, the term is controversial because what one part may see as a trade restriction another may see as a way to protect consumers from inferior, harmful or dangerous products. For instance Germany required the production of beer to adhere to
its purity law. The law, originally implemented in
Bavaria in 1516 and eventually becoming law for
newly unified Germany in 1871, made many foreign beers unable to be sold in Germany as "beer". This law was struck down in 1987 by the
European Court of Justice, but is still voluntarily followed by many German breweries.