US prepares for specific textile and apparel monitoring programme

06/04/2007 12:00 - 1060 Views

Lawyer William Barringer from the US-based Vinson & Elkins LLP has warned that the US Department of Commerce (DOC) may begin the second step of the implementation of the specific textile and apparel import monitoring programme. The first hearing may take place in this week in Washington.

According to Lawyer Barringer, when the first step of the programme was kicked off, at least 19 organisations and enterprises, that have involved benefits, submitted reports to DOC on December 27.
     
These included the American Apparel and Footwear Association (AAFA ), the National Retail Federation (NRF), Outdoor Industry Association (OIA), United States Association of Importers of Textiles and Apparel (USA – ITA), the Ministry of Trade of Vietnam, the Commercial Office of the Vietnamese Embassy, and the Vietnam Textile and Apparel Association (Vitas).
     
According to the lawyer from Vinson & Elkins LLP, which represented Vietnam in the anti-dumping lawsuit against Vietnam-sourced catfish in 2003, the US set specific monitoring programme on Vietnam-sourced textiles and apparel has been facing opposition. The protestors said that the programme is a kind of discriminatory treatment, violating WTO rules and the US – Vietnam Bilateral Agreement. Meanwhile, many others have expressed their support to the supervision mechanism, considering Vietnam a big threat, which can be seen in the sharp increases in the country’s apparel exports to the US in recent years. DOC will hear the opinions from the involved parties in the coming hearing which is expected to take place in some days.

In the last year, in return to the granting of PNTR to Vietnam, DOC announced the plan to apply the monitoring programme on Vietnam-made apparel every six months.
     
The programme may lead to the fact that DOC will raise an anti-dumping lawsuit against Vietnam-made apparel, said Lawyer William Barrinton. Prior to that, the DOC planned to start the monitoring programme right after Vietnam joins the WTO on January 11. However, commentators said that it is too early to kick off the programme right at that moment.
     
The Ministry of Trade of Vietnam and Vitas have asked Vietnamese enterprises to do all the things they can in order to avoid anti-dumping lawsuits. The enterprises have been asked to focus on high-value exports, and keep clear accounting books, so that they can provide regular vouchers when necessary.
     

Phan Anh
     
18/01/2007

Source: vnexpress
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