EU textile market will implement stricter import safeguards

Business Club, March 05th The European Commission of the International Trade Commission (MEPs) stated that the EU's trade generalized system (GSP) list will exclude high-income and upper-middle-income countries. This can provide the most needed help to developing countries. more help. At the same time, the European Parliament will impose stricter safeguards aimed at preventing textile imports from disrupting the EU market.

The European Parliament supports the European Commission’s plan for updating the GSP scheme and reflects recent changes in the world trade pattern. This plan will remove from the EU’s preferential import measures the countries on the World Bank list that have high levels of per capita income or at a middle to upper level (including Russia , Brazil, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Qatar).

These changes will reduce the number of countries enjoying EU market preferences, from 176 countries to about 80 countries. Concessionary imports will be reduced from the 2009 annual amount of 60 billion euros (4% of total EU imports) to about 37.7 billion euros.

This is the first time that the Parliament has exercised the powers introduced by the "Lisbon Treaty" for the GSP legislation.

The European Parliament also revised the proposal to strengthen safeguard measures to protect the EU textile and garment industry and prevent third countries from importing very low-cost imported products into the EU market. If the EU's annual import growth is 12.5% ​​(less than 15% of the recommendations of the Commission), or if the import of certain products exceeds 6% of the EU's total imports (below the Commission's recommended 8%), the provision of these products will be cancelled. Tariff discounts.

The Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) provides trade preferences for products exported to the European Union from developing countries, such as zero tariffs, or lower tariffs to help them reduce poverty, promote sustainable development and good governance. The GSP system has been implemented since 1971.

The current GSP scheme has been in force since 2009 and expires at the end of 2013. Therefore, the new regulations must be in place by January 1, 2014 at the latest.

The committee decided to start informal tripartite talks with the council and committee members to reach a first reading agreement.