HA NOI — The Federation of the European Sporting Goods Industry does not want the European Commission to remove Viet Nam’s shoemakers, from a programme that helps developing countries export to the bloc.

The commission plans to drop the shoe industry – one of Viet Nam’s major export industries – from its Generalised System of Preferences (GSP) after deciding the sector is strong enough to compete without help.

Federation president Hosrst Widmannin said in a statement posted on the Viet Nam Communist Party website that removing GSP preferences for footwear would deal a blow to one of Viet Nam’s key industries and undermine the country’s position as a competitive source of supply.

The proposed change would mean that Viet Nam’s shoe exports would face higher tariffs. This would follow anti-dumping duty imposed on leather shoes from Viet Nam and China in 2006.

Widmannin’s statement says the commission’s proposal is based on the "fundamentally flawed reasoning" that a fall in Viet Nam’s shoe exports to the EU means that it’s less dependent on the industry when the decline is really due to the EU’s anti-dumping duties.

The decision was made after Viet Nam broadened the range of goods it exports to the EU.

Some European countries have long wanted the EU to do more to protect their shoe industries.

The effort has been led by Italy – home to some of the world’s most famous shoemakers – and prime mover for the 2006 anti-dumping duties. — VNS

(12-04-2008)

Source: vietnamnews.vnagency.com.vn