European Apparel and Textile Organisation
24 rue Montoyer – B – 1000  Brussels
phone: + 32.2.285.48.81 – Fax : +32.2.230.60.54
e:mail : william.lakin@euratex.org
Web-site : www.euratex.org

PRESS RELEASE - 12.02.2002
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Recently elected President of EURATEX, Mr. Filiep Libeert, spoke in Brussels on 11th February of his hopes for the future of the European textile and clothing industry following the launch of the Doha Development Agenda, and the beginning of the final phase of the ATC (Agreement on Textiles and Clothing) under which all import quotas into the EU will be removed by 31.12.2004).

The textile and clothing industry’s new President expressed full support for the policies, which had been drawn up under the leadership of his immediate predecessor, Jean de Jaegher. He was convinced that EU textile and clothing exporters still had much to gain from a reduction of tariffs and the removal of non-tariff barriers overseas. “The Ministerial declaration in Doha provides EU Commission negotiators with a genuine opportunity to open up a number of markets which are today closed to our exports. It is our job to ensure that they have enough faith in our ability to increase our exports to make the necessary efforts on our behalf. We as an industry know from past experience that once overseas markets begin to open, our quality semi-manufactures and finished articles are competitive enough to make substantial inroads” he said. Mr. Libeert was speaking after the meeting of a review group set up within Euratex to monitor developments within WTO on issues of concern to the textile and clothing industry. He noted that the EU had a clear duty to create the right framework to enable industry to prosper. Where WTO was concerned, an end to high tariffs and non-tariff barriers was a clear prerequisite. European industry should be encouraged by the support it had obtained for this position from its counterparts across the Atlantic in the USA, Canada and Mexico as a result of a recent meeting in Washington.

Mr. Libeert noted that European industry was becoming increasingly impatient at the apparent inability of certain countries to open their domestic markets to EU exports. “The Indian position today is inexplicable, and Euratex looks to European Commissioners to take the appropriate steps to persuade that country and others to improve access to their market.” he stated.

In addition to the need to secure open world markets, the EURATEX President also stressed the need for progress to be made within WTO to improve measures to enforce Intellectual Property rights throughout the WTO membership. “It cannot be morally or legally justifiable that WTO rules allow companies in certain countries to pirate European designs and to sell those products on their own markets with impunity” he stressed.

Mr. Libeert expressed satisfaction at the progress made by the EU Commission and its partners in the wider Euro-Mediterranean area towards the creation of a genuine free trade area which would cover more than 600 million people, and 6 million jobs in the textile and clothing industry. He looked forward to the Ministerial Conference in Toledo in March to approve a number of origin and cumulation issues in this field, which would enable the industry to accelerate its work on a series of proposals in the tariff, and trade facilitation areas.

For further information contact:

William LAKIN                                                            Francesco MARCHI
Director General                                                         Director Economic Affairs
Phone : 32.2.285.48.82                                                32.2.285.48.92
William.lakin@euratex.org                                       Francesco.marchi@euratex.org