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

Japan and EU Textile and Clothing industries in agreement on WTO Market Access issues.

__________________

PRESS RELEASE
Brussels, January 24tth 2003.

Japan and EU Textile and Clothing industries in agreement on WTO Market Access issues.


A delegation from the Japan Textile Federation led by Mr. Masaki Sakurai, its Vice-President, and accompanied by a representative of the Japanese Ministry (METI) met with the European Textile and Apparel Organisation (Euratex) led by its President, Filiep Libeert, on Monday January 20th.


The two delegations undertook a wide-ranging review of the WTO negotiations to date in relation to Market Access for non-agricultural products in both the tariff and non-tariff barrier areas, and discussed the proposals tabled in this context by the Japanese Government and by the EU Commission. This review demonstrated that the industry in Europe and Japan, which has very similar and low tariff levels and markets open to foreign competition, hold identical views as to the need for all other member countries of WTO to reduce their textile and clothing tariffs to similar low levels, through a sectoral approach to the WTO negotiations. They called too for the removal of non-tariff barriers to trade on the basis of a sectoral approach.


Speaking after the meeting, Euratex President Filiep Libeert expressed great satisfaction at the conclusions that had been drawn. “ Our meeting today has shown that industry in Japan and the EU takes the same rational view to the challenges of international trade in textiles and clothing after 2004 and the end of the quotas. I look forward to working together with our Japanese colleagues to broaden and deepen our relationship as negotiations in Geneva progress” he said. Japanese Textile Federation leader Masaki Sakurai added: “This afternoon we have been able to undertake a detailed exchange of views regarding our own and our Governments stance on tariff reduction formulae, and to gain a clearer understanding of the views of our European colleagues. It is clear that our objectives are identical, and that we must continue to work together to ensure that there is genuine market access in world trade in this important sector”.


Both Japanese and European delegations expressed concern that inadequate attention was being paid in WTO to the difficulties which a number of least developed countries would face after 2004. At that time the latters’ position on the developed markets of the world would be seriously compromised, to the benefit of one or two major exporting nations. This problem would be exacerbated if further tariff reductions were to erode the preferential access, which those least developed enjoyed on their markets.


The Japanese Textile Federation and Euratex agreed to form an alliance to ensure that their concerns are kept to the forefront of the international debate during the Doha Development Agenda. This would initially take the form of regular contacts and consultations and a return visit to Japan by the President of Euratex in March 2003.


¯¯¯

For further information, contact:


W.H. LAKIN Phone : +32/2/285.48.81EURATEX Fax : +32/2/230.60.54Rue Montoyer, 24 website: www.euratex.orgBox 10 1000 - Brussels Francesco MARCHI Phone : +32/2/285.48.92EURATEX Fax : +32/2/230.60.54Rue Montoyer, 24 website: www.euratex.orgBox 101000 - Brussels
_____________________________

About Euratex

Euratex, the European Apparel and Textile Organisation, represents the interests of Europe's textile and clothing industry. It expresses the views of that industry to the European Commission and to the European Parliament on behalf of 114,000 companies in the European Union which employed close to 2.2 million workers in 2001. Today, Euratex concerns itself principally with external trade, intellectual property, the environment and R & D. In addition to its members in the EU, Euratex also has members in Norway, Switzerland, Turkey and a majority of CEEC candidate countries. The current President of Euratex is Filiep Libeert (Belgium).

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