Mandelson under fire over Chinese garments stockpiling at EU borders[fr][de] 

On 12 July 2005, the Commission and China concluded an agreement imposing quotas for ten kinds of textiles being imported from China into the EU. The textiles now blocked fall under one of the six categories where these quotas have already been reached for the year 2005. In the case of sweaters and trousers, they have been largely exceeded. 

Retailers are calling on the Commission to allow the textiles, most of which were ordered before the agreement was concluded and many of which have been paid for, to enter the EU. BEUC, the European consumer's organisation, calls the blocking "ignoring the basic laws of economics" and warns: "The new quotas will lead to higher prices and less choice for European consumers when they try to buy trousers, pullovers, women’s blouses, brassieres and other textile products in the coming months."  

The Commission has sent a team to Beijing, which is starting negotiations on a possible solution to the crisis on 24 August 2005. As there still seems to be a majority of member states in favour of the quotas, which were introduced under pressure from EU-based textile manufacturers, a renegotiation of the curbs is unlikely. Observers think that the Commission will seek a trade-off with the four kinds of textiles where the quotas have so far not been reached, or try to move quotas from 2006 into 2005.