Member states on Wednesday (8 September) gave the green light to a European Commission-brokered agreement to free up the millions of the Chinese textiles stuck in ports around the EU.
The go-ahead brings to an end a ten-week-long saga that pitted EU retailers against the commission as trousers, jumpers and bras were held up in ports after the import quotas were in these categories were filled far quicker than expected.
Welcoming the approval, trade commissioner Peter Mandelson, who was forced to negotiate down to the line with the Chinese to adjust a June quota agreement said "I am very pleased that Member States have approved the agreement with China and the Commission's proposal for unblocking textile imports from China".
The goods – running to some 80 million items – are expected to be unblocked next week following a move this week by the commission to get the legal wheels rolling.
However, several politicians have been quick to point out that the deal satisfies no one.
In the deal, half of the goods are simply unblocked and enter outside the limit and the other half are played off against next year's quotas.
Major textile-producing countries such as France and Spain are annoyed with the Commission for backing away from a deal that it brokered only in June, while countries such as Denmark and Sweden believe the problem has only been postponed until 2006.
marketing@alchempro.com
