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More Euro groups back VN on anti-dumping tax
Vietnam has called on the European Commission not to extend its anti-dumping duties on Vietnamese leather-capped shoes and let the current tariffs end on October 6.
The Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Le Danh Vinh released a statement to this effect on the ministry’s website on Thursday.
The statement said: "Vietnamese footwear companies do not dump goods into the European market and do not pursue a dumping policy."
Vinh said that 15 out of the EU’s 27 member countries voted against renewing the anti-dumping duties, imposed on Vietnamese leather-capped shoes since 2006, at a meeting of the EU’s anti-dumping advisory committee held in Brussels, Belgium on September 18.
According to a report by the Financial Times the same day, the vote was non-binding but suggested that opinion might have shifted against imposing duties on imports that make consumer goods more expensive, particularly at a time of high inflation.
"A spokesman for Peter Mandelson, European trade commissioner, declined to comment on the vote. The trade commissioner will have to decide by October 4 whether to extend the measures, which impose duties of 16.5 per cent and 10 per cent respectively, on Chinese and Vietnamese leather shoes," the newspaper said.
According to Vinh, eight European organisations issued press releases to oppose the renewal of anti-dumping tariffs. They included the European Consumers’ Organisation, the European Trade Promotion Organisation, the European Association of Fashion Retailers, the European Sportswear Industry Federation, the European External Trade Union, the European Branded Footwear Coalition, the European Outdoor Group, and the Federation of German Shoe Industry.
Horst Widmann, President of the European Sportswear Industry Federation said: "An extension would make a mockery of the EU’s anti-dumping policy and would re-open a divisive debate."
The UK Department for Business took a similar tone: "We’re greatly encouraged by the strong support from other member states. We are continuing to urge the Commission to bring measures to an end."
Vinh went on to say that the demand to conduct a review of the anti-dumping tax by a small number of footwear producers did not reflect the full viewpoint of European footwear enterprises, and was in fact contrary to the EU’s trend of free trade, and ignored the interests of consumers and relevant businesses.
"The EU should not maintain anti-dumping measures on Viet Nam and Chinese products, notably in the face of high inflation and economic slowdown. This policy only protects some poor competitive producers," Vinh said.
According to Vinh, EU businesses, which have advantages in capital, technology, designing, marketing, and Vietnamese businesses with advantages in labour and skills, should co-operate with one another rather than confront each other.
"Through co-operation, both sides will reach solutions of mutual benefit to provide better services for consumers, including EU’s consumers," he said.
Vinh also stressed that the period between 2009-2011 period was necessary for Viet Nam to actively take part in and fully implement its commitments to the WTO and the Free Trade Agreement now under negotiation between ASEAN and the EU.
The fact that Viet Nam has been removed from the EU’s generalised system of preferences (GSP) between 2009-2011 and also considered to be imposed an anti-dumping duties at 10 per cent in one and half years would cause serious difficulties for the Vietnamese footwear sector, adversely impacting workers and their families, he stressed.
VNN
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