EU Countries Say “Yes” to Removal of Dumping Duties on Vietnam Shoes

A majority of European Union (EU) countries have recently said that they agree to termination of anti-dumping taxes on leather shoes imported from Vietnam and China, state media said, citing an EU diplomat.

 

Britain, Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Ireland, Latvia, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands and Sweden want the duties to be scrapped immediately before Christmas when the retail sector expects to be lucrative, Vietnam News Agency said.

 

The European Commission is scheduled to decide whether to continue or abolish dumping duties on imports of leather shoes from Vietnam and China in September.

 

The shoes duties were offered in 2006 and expired last October. However, the EC decided to extend duties of 16.5 per cent on Chinese leather shoes and 10 per cent on those made in Vietnam.

 

The EU is a traditional and big importer of Vietnamese shoes. However, Vietnam’s shoes exports to the market have decreased remarkably during the past two years due to dumping duties.

 

In the first five months of 2009, Vietnam was estimated to have exported US$798.8 million worth of footwear products to the EU, down 18.82 per cent on year. (vinanet, Lefaso)