25/08/2005 (Agence Europe) - On Thursday, the CDU MEP Daniel Caspary called for a significant increase in import quotas of Chinese textiles into the EU (see other article). In a press release, the member of the European Parliament described it as unacceptable that "because of the few companies which did not prepare themselves sufficiently over the last few years (…), consumers, trade and a large number of German textile companies are now faced with serious difficulties". It is wrong that it is precisely those European companies which have managed to restructure themselves over the last few years which are now being penalised, said the German MEP, who feels that "the soft poison of protectionism is a medicine which should be used in small doses". The measures provided for by the Shanghai agreement also raise a great many issues and practical problems, Mr Caspary complained.