FAIR: shoe anti-dumping duty - 'No compromise, but a catastrophe!
15 Sep '06
2 min read
European shoe importers consider Austria's approach in the EU conflict on anti-dumping customs duties on shoe imports from China and Vietnam counterproductive and dangerous.
Yesterday, Austria unexpectedly suggested a one-year extension of the provisional customs duties introduced in April 2006 and to review them afterwards.
“This suggestion does not make sense at all, basically does not change the measure itself and would have serious negative effects on the European shoe industry and its customers”, Paul Verrips, president of the Footwear Association of Importers and Retailchains (FAIR), is convinced.
“It is still the same proposal that has already been dismissed by 14 EU Member States, including Austria. Only the time-limitation has been added.”
Austria's overnight change of position seems to be in close connection with Italian Prime Minister Prodi's personal intervention.
Italy and a few other southern European states hope to return a part of the far eastern shoe production back to Europe through the anti-dumping measures. “This is an illusion”, Verrips emphasises. “Provisional duties have been in effect for half a year now, and there are no positive outcomes observable."
"Verifiable is, however, that import prices have risen in the first four month 2006 by 12 percent on shoes from China and even 19 percent on shoes from Vietnam. Anti-dumping duties will only hit the pockets of European Consumers in a negative way.”
marketing@alchempro.com
