This is really strange they did not allow you to trade. What laws were you breaking by bartering?

In the EU you can trade at will for free, without any government interference, even if you make profit. If I remember correctly there's a law in my country which states that used things that belong to you and weren't purchased with the intent to trade like books, tools, clothes, can be sold tax free. You can place ads online and sell them for fiat or cash. That's why people rarely trade. It's much easier to price things.