Global Alliance group briefs WTO on concerns

By Staff -- Home Textiles Today, 9/28/2004 12:30:00 PM

GENEVA — The Global Alliance for Fair Trade in Textiles held a full-day meeting today in Switzerland, where it briefed representatives from 15 countries and about a dozen World Trade Organization missions.

The alliance is calling on WTO member countries to discuss the impact they will experience from a Chinese monopoly on the global economy, press further for safeguard restrictions against textiles from China, and examine related proposals to be presented at Friday's WTO Council on Goods meeting.

Executives from the U.S. textiles and apparel industry also added that a minimum of three threat-based China-safeguard petitions — broken down by category — will be filed with the U.S. government by the end of next week. They did not specify which categories they will target.

During Friday's meeting, the WTO will discuss the economic ramifications (labor and social concerns) associated with the expiration of quotas on textiles and apparel products scheduled for Jan. 1.

Governments in attendance include Great Britain , Italy , Germany , Portugal , Turkey , Indonesia , Peru , Mexico , Tunisia , Jordan, Sri Lanka , Bangladesh , Madagascar , and representatives from the European Union.