AVE warns to impose duties on shoes from China and Vietnam soon
24 Dec '05
1 min read
German foreign trade association AVE warned duties of up to 30 percent to curb the alleged dumping of shoes from China and Vietnam in Europe could come as soon as January 2006.
An inquiry into the alleged dumping of Chinese and Vietnamese-made-footwear in Europe initiated by the European Commission in July, responding by an application from the European Confederation of the Footwear Industry (CEC).
The inquiry, even though, is not expected to close before April 2006; duties could be imposed earlier as a security.
In case, if the European Commission locates that the allegations are unfounded then the duties will be repaid but the possibility alone that duties could come is creating great uncertainty within the footwear industry.
Stuart Newman, legal advisor at European trade body Foreign Trade Association (FTA), says "Anti-dumping duties would have devastating effects on imports and consumers without any advantages for local shoe industries."
The Foreign Trade Association has requested the 25 European Union countries to say no to anti-dumping measures on shoes made in China and Vietnam while Sweden, the Netherlands and Denmark have already agreed to reject the measures.