Mandelson may face tough time at EU over Chinese textiles

31 Aug '05

2 min read

Today, European Union's 25 member state ambassadors will meet at the behest of EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson to decide on allowing imported Chinese clothes to enter Europe.

With a divided house, literally, Mandelson will face opposition from EU countries making textile versus those heavily importing from China and other countries having strong fronts.

European producers have called for sticking to the June 10, agreement that sought to cap Chinese textiles till 2008.

European Apparel and Textile Organisation - EURATEX has called for respecting the June 10th EU-China textile clothing deal.

Meanwhile, European ports are jammed with millions of Chinese trouser, bras, fabrics, innerwear and other textile products even are retailers all over fear shortages and price hike in these goods.

Textile producing countries like France, Italy, Spain among others seek to protect their industry against the imported Chinese products that have purportly harmed their domestic interests.

Spanish Trade and Industry Minister Jose Montilla, blamed retailers for making under hand deals in the haste to meet the July 12 deadline.

He pointed out that importers were out to break the textile agreement.

While Spain has asked China to bear the pangs of crisis emanating from EU retailers anxiously waiting for thier deliveries of about 80m unlicensed bras, pullovers and trousers, it is Poland that has castigated Mandelson's proposals of releasing blocked Chinese imports.

More EURATEX News... More Textiles News - Belgium...