Quota phase-out attacked
An attack has been made on the United States, European Union (EU), and other textile importing jurisdictions for waiting until the last minute to abolish most restrictive quotas under the World Trade Organisation's (WTO) Agreement on Textile and Clothing.
Egytex News Desk
Egytex
A note from International Textiles and Clothing Bureau (ITCB) which represents developing countries said: "It may be noted that the large bulk of quotas have been kept to be abolished only on the last day of the agreement (January 1, 2005). So much about the progressivity of the process, contrary to what was envisioned in the agreement!"
The paper details how, of 937 USA quotas earmarked for abolition, it has so far phased out only 103, meaning Washington will abolish 89% "at the end in one go".
The EU, it said, would abolish 212, or 70% of its 303 quotas, on January 1, and Canada 292, (79% of its 368 quotas). Only Norway comes in for praise for abolishing all 54 quotas already, (46 before 1998 and the rest in 2001).
The ITCB members are Argentina, Bangladesh, Brazil, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, South and North Korea, Egypt, Guatemala, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Macao, Maldives, Pakistan, Paraguay, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Uruguay and Vietnam. The organisation issued the note at the WTO headquarters in Geneva.
From the Egytex news archive, first published on 29 May 2004. Figures and names are as reported at the time.
