Brussels, 16/09/2008 (Agence Europe) - Speaking on behalf of his country, Vietnam's Trade Minister Le Danh Vinh urged the EU, on Monday 15 September, not to extend definitive Community antidumping duties on Vietnamese exports of leather footwear (or on those from China). The protectionist duties are to expire on 7 October. The result of a compromise to overcome division between member states in the Council (it was with a one-vote majority that the Commission's proposal to establish antidumping duties was approved), the duration of these rights established in October 2006 affecting Chinese and Vietnamese footwear up to 16.5% and 10% respectively, has been limited to two years compared to the normal five years (EUROPE 9279). The EU is now looking at how appropriate it would be to extend these duties for a further year. The Committee 133, which brings trade experts of member states together, will discuss the Commission's draft revision on Wednesday, further to a formal request submitted earlier this year by European shoe manufacturers. Review may take up to 15 months, a period during which measures remain in place. “We are not dumping leather shoes on the EU market. The extension of these duties is unjust, runs against the spirit of trade liberalisation, is contrary to the objectives of alleviating hunger, harms competition and has already cost 40 000 jobs”, Mr Vinh deplored when speaking to journalists after having defended his government's position in Brussels. “In March, the Commission told us the duties would be scrapped after they expired, but there has been a submission to extend the duties which will only benefit some EU countries with their own interests”, he stressed.
The Vietnamese minister's appeal was relayed the same day by two declarations. One was published jointly by the European Consumers' Bureau, BEUC, the association of retailers and wholesalers, Eurocommerce, and the European association of fashion retailers, AEDT, which describes the antidumping measures on Chinese and Vietnamese footwear as “wholly artificial and unjustified”. “For European consumers, the prolongation of the footwear duties would put a further strain on their purchasing power. This would particularly hit low income households”, said Monique Goyens, BEUC Director General, adding that any extension would be a regrettable step backward for the industry. The second declaration comes from the Foreign Trade Association (FTA), which defends the interests of importers, distributors and retailers of Europe, and which also calls for extension of the duties to be rejected. “The duties imposed on imports of leather shoes from China and Vietnam were unnecessary two years ago and they remain unnecessary today”, FTA Secretary General Jan Eggert explains. (E.H./transl.jl)