EC releases surveillance data for footwear imports from China & rest of the world

08 Jun '05

3 min read

European Commission has published the results of its monitoring of footwear imports to the EU from China and the rest of the world for the first four months of 2005.

This detailed monitoring, requested by Member States in January 2005, applies to six categories of footwear imports liberalised following the elimination of quotas on 1 January 2005. These figures show that in particular Chinese footwear imports in these six categories have risen steeply compared with the same period in 2004.

The figures released today are obtained from Member State Customs Authorities and are based on actual imports to the EU as collected under the surveillance system set up by the Commission at the request of Member States in January 2005. They concern the period January – April 2005 and cover 6 types of footwear - mostly leather and high value textile shoes – that were under quota until January 1 2005. Although the Commission is continuing to refine data, the figures released today are a reasonably accurate reflection of import trends.

The data shows substantial increases in imports from China for all six categories of footwear - on average almost 700% for the 6 categories concerned. There are also rises in imports from other sources.

The European Commission has noted the concerns of the EU footwear industry that this rise in imports is causing considerable market disruption to EU producers.

Background
The common EU quota system on footwear established in 1994 was ended on 1 January 2005 after a period of progressive phasing out. In China's case, trade in footwear was liberalised as part of China's accession to the WTO in 2001. However, for certain sensitive footwear products it was agreed that quotas for Chinese exports be gradually phased out over four years from 2001 until January 1 2005. This agreement was placed in Annex 7 of China's Protocol of Accession to the WTO.

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