19 December 2007
On 13 December, European Parliament passed in Strassbourg the resolution on cancellation in the coming year of limits for textiles’ imports from China. Since 2005, by virtue of the agreement concluded between the European Commission and China, the quotas have been obligatory. Import quotas concerned 10 categories of goods –including, among others, cotton fabrics and other cotton products.
According to the adopted resolution, since the beginning of the next year, the only instrument of control of Chinese textiles will be the so called system of double check. There were 8 groups of goods settled, which will be encompassed with a strict monitoring. Their export will require a Chinese export licence and the company wishing to import them to the EU will have to apply for such a licence in his country. Chinese company striving for obtaining the permission to sell apparel and fabrics to the Community, will have to demonstrate, that it has the equity of 500 thousand of CHY and its 2-year history of exports worth at least 10 thousand USD , in the last year.
The double check system will encompass Chinese underwear, pullovers, men’s trousers, blouses, dresses, bras, bed-linen, and flax yarn. If a rapid growth of any of these categories is observed, every of the EU member countries might react.