GAFTT calls for focus on textile issues at Doha Round
10 Oct '05
3 min read
The Global Alliance for Fair Textile Trade (GAFTT) called on governments around the world to insist that textile issues be addressed in a Special Textile Sectoral (STS) in the Doha Development Round trade talks. Such a textile specific negotiation is necessary for the World Trade Organization (WTO) to address the critical issues confronting the global textile and apparel industry.
GAFTT represents 97 textile and apparel groups from 55 countries that exported over $170 billion in textile and apparel products in 2003. Since textiles and clothing represent a disproportionate share of exports from developing countries and LDC's and since that trade is threatened by the unfair trading practices of a small number of non-market economies, GAFTT believes that textiles and clothing must receive specialized treatment from the WTO if the WTO is to fulfill its Doha Development Round commitments.
The textile and apparel sector employs more than 30 million people around the world, with most employment occurring in developing and LDC's. An STS will allow all WTO member countries to deal with tariffs, non-tariff barriers and other concerns in a comprehensive manner in order to achieve an orderly and fair long-term development of trade in this critical sector. The elimination of quotas earlier this year caused a shock to the world trading system that must not be ignored at a time when new textile trade rules are being negotiated as part of the Doha Development Round.
GAFTT and its 97 member trade groups are urging their respective governments to make an STS a must-have requirement for a successful Hong Kong Ministerial scheduled for December 13-18 of this year.
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