BRUSSELS — A European importers' association urged the European Union on Friday 11 September to scrap its anti-dumping duties against Chinese and Vietnamese shoes, ahead of a decision on whether to prolong the measures.

Photo: AFP

"No prolongation, in whatever format the Commission may come up with, is acceptable for European retailers and importers," argued Jan Eggert, Secretary General of the Foreign Trade Association (FTA) which represents European importers and retailers.

"Our members have been adversely affected by these unnecessary measures and I trust that (EU) member states will oppose any prolongation when they are called upon to vote," he added.

The EU anti-dumping measures involve import duties of 16.5 percent on Chinese shoes with leather uppers and 10 percent on the same kind of shoes from Vietnam.

The measures have been a source of conflict between member states. The main vote faultline has run between Europe's economically liberal north, hostile in principle to anti-dumping measures, and the more protectionist south, sympathetic to the views of EU producers.

The European Commission decided a year ago to maintain the anti-dumping measures on Chinese shoes, which were first imposed in October 2006, to give it time to re-evaluate the market situation.

In the weeks to come the EU executive must make new proposals on maintaining or ending the punitive duties, with a decision to be taken by the 27 EU nations by the end of the year.

The FTA indicated that "the Commission is looking to offer a compromise proposal," the details of which remained unclear "owing to the non-transparent and secretive nature of anti-dumping investigations," according to FTA legal advisor Stuart Newman.

"However, it now looks more certain that the commission is intending to prolong the measures rather than do the logical thing and terminate," he added.

A European Commission spokesman refused to comment on the FTA opinions.

"We have to take a decision by the end of the year... but the decision isn't made yet," he said.