Strasbourg, 13/12/2007 (Agence Europe) - After an exchange of views with Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson, the European Parliament adopted, on Thursday 13 December, a resolution on the future of European industry after 2007, setting out its requirements in order to ensure the preservation of the textile sector.
As the EU/China Memorandum of Understanding dating back to 2005, which places a temporary limit on Chinese textile exports to the Community market, expires on 31 December, the EP welcomes the fact that a joint surveillance system has been set in place to ensure dual control of imports from China for eight textile and clothing product categories in 2008. The mechanism will not only control export licences issued in China but also import licences issued in the EU (EUROPE of 10 October), in the aim of ensuring gradual transition towards free trade in textiles. The EP calls on the Commission to assess how effective the system is before the end of the first quarter 2008. It stresses the need to maintain such a system in the longer term beyond 2008 and that its follow-up should be ensured by the high level group on textiles set up in 2003. The Parliament also invites the Commission to consult with the United States on the issue of Chinese textiles.
The EP resolution also devotes a large chapter to the external competitiveness of the European textile sector. Stressing its concern regarding the many tariff and non-tariff barriers in third countries, it encourages the Commission to ensure better conditions of market access in these countries in the context of multilateral and bilateral trade talks in which the EU is involved. In this framework, it recalls its attachment to the promotion of environmental and social standards (mainly regarding decent employment) in third countries, in order to ensure fair competition. On the internal front, the EP invites the Commission and member states to promote the modernisation of the European textile industry by supporting technological innovation, R&D and vocational training. It also stresses the need to make it an obligation to state the origin of textiles imported from third countries. In this respect, it invites the Council to adopt the proposal for a regulation currently under examination on the indication of country of origin. The EP also invites the Commission to ensure that the Globalisation Adjustment Fund is used for restructuring and reconversion of the textile sector, mainly for SMEs that are severely hit by market liberalisation. It calls on the Commission and member states to come to the assistance of workers in the textile and clothing sector by implementing measures and social plans in companies that are being restructured.
The resolution also places emphasis on how important it is for the European textile sector to have legitimate means of defence against unfair trade practices. The EP recalls in this respect that the trade defence instruments are fundamental mechanisms of regulation and legitimate tools to be used to influence legal and illegal imports from third countries, in particular in the textile and clothing sector. The EP also stresses the need to urge Beijing to proceed to bringing the exchange rates of the yuan into line. Finally, it reaffirms its concern about the continued violations of intellectual property suffered by European brands, particularly in China. The importance of fighting against piracy and counterfeiting - a scourge affecting the EU textile industry - is largely reaffirmed in another chapter devoted to security and consumer protection.
Finally, the resolution devotes a specific chapter to the developing countries and to Euro-Mediterranean partnership. In this chapter, the EP invites the Commission to support establishment of a Euro-Mediterranean production zone for the textile sector in order to create a competitive area to ensure industrial production and employment are safeguarded on both sides of the Mediterranean, as the lifting of textile quotas at global level on 1 January 2005 upset not only the European textile sector but also that of developing countries, and the countries of the southern Mediterranean in particular.
Peter Mandelson promises to be vigilant. During the debate, Mr Mandelson promised to take measures should the EU be flooded by Chinese textiles in 2008. The Commission, he assured, would monitor imports of Chinese textiles at a rate as close to real time as possible. He went on to add that, in the event of a sudden surge in imports, the Commission would be ready to use all instruments at its disposal, as the situation requires. The trade commissioner also stressed that he would continue to make enhanced access to the Chinese market and better intellectual property protection the priorities of his trade policy towards China. “I see the textiles problems as emblematic of the broader problems we face in China. (…) We expect the same sort of equal opportunity and fair treatment in China's market that Chinese producers received in ours”, he said by way of conclusion. (E.H.)
European Parliament Plenary Session