Brussels, 24/07/2007 (Agence Europe) - A mechanism to replace the quota system used to restrict imports of Chinese textiles on the Community market, and which expires at the end of the year, was at the heart of discussions among EU Trade Ministers in Brussels on Sunday evening. Led by France and Italy, producer member states called for the extension of the system negotiated with Beijing in 2005. To ensure a smooth transition, however, Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson proposed a Sino-European dual monitoring mechanism, which would allow any sudden rise in Chinese textile imports into the EU to be detected and safeguard measures to be deployed rapidly. The system, debated in Beijing on Friday of last week, would be based on putting in place Chinese export licences and import licences into the EU, which would mean that developments in Chinese exports could be tracked in virtually real time. The proposal, which is still to be accepted by Beijing, was backed by the EU27. Indeed, somewhat isolated in its call, (Italian Trade Minister Emma Bonino admitted grudgingly that the mechanism proposed by the Commission was the only one possible), France resigned itself to giving its support to the mechanism. “We must look very carefully at how this system could operate,” said French Secretary of State for Trade Hervé Novelli, stressing that the mechanism had to allow safeguard measures to be taken very quickly. (eh)