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Switzerland:Mandelson takes over as EU chief – says no going back on textile quota withdrawal |
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2004-11-25
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If a surge in cheap products from China is noticed after the lifting of textile quotas, then The European Union is ready to safeguard its textiles industry, informed the EU''s new trade commissioner during a first visit to WTO headquarters in Geneva, yesterday.
China expects to gain the most in major export markets like the United States and Europe after the quotas that were put in place 40 years ago to ensure restricted imports. Notably, 30 percent of EU’s imported textiles came from China in 2002.
"We are putting in place a system for monitoring textile clothing imports into the EU for the products to be liberalised," Mandelson said.
"It goes without saying that we will use all the instruments at our disposal if action is needed," he added.
Meanwhile, China requested the EU last month to avoid "putting up barriers" potentially harming their domestic textile industry.
Mandelson took over the reigns of the 25-nation European bloc Monday as chief, denied any attempt to go back on the international agreement to end import quotas on textiles, finalized nine years back.
"I noted some calls for this but I do not support these calls," he told journalists.
Already there are sounds of alarm ringing from about 20 smaller or poor producers, including Bangladesh, Mexico, Mauritius and Tunisia, who fear massive job losses in the textile sector due to the Asian giant steamrolling the competition globally.
Even international financing agencies like World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) have extended their support for poor countries that suffer.
Mandelson assessing the overall scenario said he understood the concerns of developing countries and accepted that some may need support in the face of China''s "huge comparative advantage" in the sector.
"But it''s equally true that this has been in the making for the last 10 years. There has been time to adjust," he added. |
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