Textiles: EU prepares for WTO textiles and clothing quota elimination from 1 January 2005

In order to implement one of the key commitments taken at the end of the WTO Trade Round ('Uruguay Round') in 1994, the European Commission adopted a proposal on 26 October 2004 for the elimination of the quotas applying on imports of textile and clothing products from WTO countries. This proposal was then sent to the EU Member States for its adoption so that quotas could be removed by 1 January 2005.

EU customs would be nevertheless checking until 31 March 2005 the respect of 2004 quotas for textile products shipped to the EU before the end of 2004. The Commission also proposed the introduction of an automatic import licensing system for import of certain textile and clothing products.