These subsidies that encourage coal firing are distorting the energy market.

Administration spokesmen say the subsidies interfere with free trade and distort trade forces.

And the subsidy distorts incentives to invest, pulling money into housing from other parts of the economy.

Most experts say the subsidies distort the food market and often limit production rather than expand it.

Washington says such subsidies distort trade, discourage imports and are in effect protectionist.

At the global level, we have been going around the world telling countries that subsidies distort and lead to unfair competition.

However, many subsidies and other incentive schemes only distort the market and are often harmful to the environment.

On what grounds does the Commission consider that these subsidies distort competition when they do not even cover the extra cost of transport within Sweden?

"I think the massive agricultural subsidies of the United States are totally distorting markets throughout the world."

They argue that such subsidies distort the market in agricultural trade and cost farmers in their nations billions of dollars annually.