Special consideration for textile stressed in Doha Round
15 Jun '06
3 min read
The U.S. textile industry welcomed the statement by the U.S. government at the World Trade Organization (WTO) that the textiles must receive "special consideration" in the current round of world trade talks.
The U.S. shift in policy signals that textiles should no longer be subsumed into the overall industrial products classification where textiles is be vulnerable to deep tariff cuts and a takeover of world export markets by China.
Cass Johnson, President of the National Council of Textile Organizations (NCTO), stated, "The U.S. statement today sends an important message that the U.S. and other textile groups have long been pressing for, namely, that the WTO recognize the unique status of the textile sector and treat it separately at the negotiating table. We are grateful to Ambassador Schwab for making this important shift. We are also pleased that many countries from Latin America, Africa and Europe added their voices this morning to the need for a separate textile sectoral."
Auggie Tantillo, Executive Director of the American Manufacturing Trade Action Coalition (AMTAC) stated, "This is a much needed and positive step in the right direction. At the same time, the U.S. government will need to insist that any final agreement include special consideration for textiles that do not leave this industry vulnerable to government subsidized importsfrom countries such as China and Vietnam."
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