ANCI says Chinese imports crushing footwear sector

26 Dec '05

3 min read

ANCI (Associazione Nazionale Calzaturifici Italiani) data speak loud and clear: footwear sector is losing ground. After decades of competitive victories against other producing countries in Europe and abroad, our industry is being crushed by the burgeoning growth of imports from China and a murky commercial practice, says the official website.

“The emergency in industry,” affirms Rossano Soldini, President of ANCI, “requires urgent measures to defend the industrial heritage of our country.

Company is still receiving positive signals from the European institutions but discouraging signals at the same time.

They definitely appreciate the positive opinion of the Commission on the requirement for labels of origin on goods, because another important step has been taken.

But at the same time, we note the persistence of an dilatory attitude about the timing of definitive approval of the regulations and the adoption of anti-dumping measures against China.

This is costing us a steady decline in domestic production, as recent ISTAT data confirm: in the first ten months of 2005 there has been a 9.6 Percent drop in leather goods and footwear, in line with the estimates of Research Office.”

Following the internal consultation among the Commission services, with the technical approval of the competent offices, the European Commission has approved the regulation making labeling of origin mandatory.

“It is certainly an important step,” Rossano Soldini continues, “on the road to the mandatory marking of products imported from non-EU countries, though with the exception of Bulgaria, Romania and Turkey.

This is explicit recognition by the EU Commission that the absence of this ruling has thus far reduced European citizens to the status of second-class consumers, compared to those in the US, China and Australia, who already have this information on origin."

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