Officials target cheap imports from China

Date: 28/11/1996

Chinese imports are the bane of EU trade officials' existence.

The Union has levied duties and quotas on all manner of products from textiles to bicycles. The label 'Made in China' alone prompts an almost automatic 'guilty' verdict from most Union officials.

Trade representatives from the 15 member states, sitting together in the advisory committee which decides anti-dumping cases, were this week considering whether to levy import duties on Chinese handbags, briefcases, luggage and school satchels.

European competitors claim they are suffering because of cheap imports and are calling for them to be barred from EU markets. But the Foreign Trade Association rejects this and says the imports should be allowed to continue.

“If the proceedings are approved, the consequences for European leather goods retail shops will be tremendous,” it warns. “Over 40&percent; of their turnover will be lost and many of them will not survive.”

The Commission recently held hearings to determine whether these imports were hurting Europeans. While these were meant to consider consumer interests as well as those of producers, FTA delegate-general Konrad Neundörfer said: “We did not get the impression during the hearings that the Commission really used the notion of Community interest.”

If the new Commission guidelines result in consumer interests receiving more attention, and cases such as those under consideration being thrown out, the Chinese government will no doubt cheer as loudly as European consumers.