Turkey joins US in appeal to delay removal of quotas
Turkey has joined the US in its call to postpone the removal of quota restrictions on textiles and clothing imports from China to gain another three years for "better preparing" for the liberalisation of the market. The removal of quotas on 1 January 2005 was decided as part of China's entry into the World Trade…
Egytex News Desk
Egytex
In a joint appeal addressed at the WTO, the Istanbul Textile and Apparel Exporters Association ITKIB has demanded on behalf of all Turkish associations and manufacturers to postpone the removal of quotas to 2008. ITKIB president Haluk Ozeli has also called on the European Union and developing countries to join the appeal. China already dominates the world market. After the complete liberalisation, our industry does not stand a chance, Mr Ozeli said.
European textile association Euratex said it had not decided whether to support the demands of the US and Turkey or not. "This is a very delicate issue. Personally, I do not believe this appeal is the right way to approach the problem," Euratex commissary Francesco Marcji said.
German textile and fashion association Gesamtverband der deutschen Textil- und Modeindustrie will not join the call, stating that the association was "open and in favour of the liberalisation".
From the Egytex news archive, first published on 11 March 2004. Figures and names are as reported at the time.
