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

In Geneva, EURATEX and GAFTT call for immediate WTO Action.

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_July 27th, 2004

PRESS RELEASE

In Geneva, Euratex and GAFTT call for Immediate WTO Action
Representatives of the Global Alliance for Fair Textile Trade (GAFTT) and Euratex representing in total 65 countries, both developing and developed, met in Geneva on 26th and 27th July to further discuss the crisis in international textile and clothing trade in the run-up to January 1st 2005 when all quotas are scheduled to be eliminated and to brief their respective government missions in Geneva.

In this context they welcomed recent initiatives by the Governments of Mauritius and Bangladesh towards the Director General of WTO to address the crisis associated with the pending phase out of quotas. The group also welcomed as an important development the scheduling of a Head of Delegations meeting at the WTO on August 3rd, 2004 to address this critical issue. However, strong concern was expressed over the fact that certain key countries were not invited to the meeting next week. These countries include a number of the largest textile and apparel exporting nations, as well as many countries whose economies are heavily dependent upon this sector for substantial export earnings and employment.

The group called on the Director General of the WTO to ensure that many of these additional countries be involved in the critical discussion of August 3rd.

While restating their commitment to open world markets under conditions of free and fair trade, industry representatives also reaffirmed their grave concern that the final phase-out of quotas would lead rapidly to a situation in which major markets will be dominated by only one country, China. The industry representatives reiterated their call for an emergency meeting of all WTO members in September to prevent the expected massive disruption of global textile and apparel markets and the loss of 30 million jobs in over 50 countries.


For further information, contact:

W.H. LAKIN
EURATEX
Rue Montoyer, 24 Box 10
1000 - Brussels - Belgium
Phone : +32/2/285.48.82
Fax : +32/2/230.60.54
E-mail : william.lakin@euratex.org Francesco MARCHI
EURATEX
Rue Montoyer, 24 Box 10
1000 - Brussels - Belgium
Phone : +32/2/285.48.92
Fax : +32/2/230.60.54
E-mail : francesco.marchi@euratex.org