In a joint letter to the 14 EU Member States which had rejected in early August a provisional vote on a Commission proposal to impose anti-dumping tariffs on shoe imports from Vietnam and China (see EurActiv 29 August 2006), representatives of European shoe manufacturers and retailers label the proposal as “an attempt to shield uncompetitive producers from global competition” and stress that it would put companies’ future at risk by undermining their competitiveness.
The letter comes as Austria, one of the 14 countries, attempted to find a compromise with shoe-manufacturing countries in favour of the duties. Meeting with EU diplomats in the Council Commercial Questions Group on 13 September 2006, Austria suggested applying the suggested measures for just one year – instead of five – before reviewing the situation.
Horst Widmann, President of the Federation of the European Sporting Goods Industry (FESI), accused Austria of bowing to protectionist pressure and said: “The Austrian proposal is unacceptable. The review clause in this compromise would simply mean five-year duties by the back door”.
Commission Trade spokesman Peter Power has suggested that Commissioner Mandelson could agree to a new proposal from Member States, as long as it has their majority support. But, if Member States fail to resolve their split before 6 October 2006, temporary anti-dumping duties introduced in April will be lifted.
‘‘This is now entirely a matter for Member States,’’ said Power. The row is being fought at the highest political levels, with Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi and Spanish Prime Minister José Luis Rodriguez Zapatero personally lobbying other EU leaders to support the measures.
