Retailers slam EU's Chinese textile quotas
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PublishDate:
2005-08-11 13:25:00
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While millions of Chinese garments wait at ports for permission to enter the European Union (EU) market, the textile importers and retailers criticized the bloc's quotas limitation on Chinese textile products.
Earlier on Tuesday, EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson blamed retailers for causing the build-up. "The problem has been caused by importers trying to beat the restrictions (on Chinese textiles)," he said in a statement.
But Northern European textile and clothing industry reacted angrily to the accusations.
"It is not true, that the importers undermine the quotas, as Mandelson claims," said Anton Borner, president of the Federation of German Wholesale and Foreign Trade, according to online newsletter EU observer.
"Orders were given a long time ahead of the introduction of EU quotas," said Borner.
The British retail industry also reacted strongly to Mandelson's statement.
"We think it is unfair to say it is the fault of the retailers," said Alisdair Gray from the Brussels office of the British Retail Consortium and called for a "rethink" by the Commission.
In June, a looming trade war on textiles was avoided when EU trade commissioner Peter Mandelson and his Chinese counterpart Bo Xilai agreed to limit the growth of 10 Chinese textile product categories.
But the quantitative limit for 2005 was reached for pullovers last week and for trousers this week.