EU brewing again raises appeal of anti-dumping review of leather shoes

"European footwear industry is currently brewing a complaint against the anti-dumping sunset review of leather shoes imported from China and Vietnam."

Recently, Wei Yafei, director of the shoemaking office of the China Leather Association, confirmed that the EU intends to extend the appeal again after the latest round of anti-dumping measures against Chinese leather shoes expired at the end of March next year. According to EU law, EU industrial review appeals must be filed before the end of December.

Or will re-enter the sunset review process It is reported that as early as October 5, 2006, the EU imposed a 16.5% anti-dumping duty on leather shoes originating in China, with a period of two years. After the expiry of the end of 2008, it entered the sunset review. In December 2009, the European Commission once again ruled that the anti-dumping duty be extended for 15 months until March 2011.

“The EU Footwear Federation is likely to formally submit an application to the European Commission within the deadline.” Chinese agent Po Lingchen, who has been acting as agent of anti-dumping cases involving shoes in China, said in an interview: “Since Italy, Spain and other old shoe-making kingdoms continue, The attitude of submitting reexamination appeals is relatively positive, so before the end of December, the EU Footwear Federation is likely to submit another anti-dumping review appeal. If this is true, then it means that the EU anti-dumping case on China-made shoes will once again be brought to the sunset review. Process, anti-dumping duties will continue for some time."

The EU anti-dumping case on leather shoes that began in 2006 has caused the export of Chinese leather footwear products to be seriously affected, and the export of European leather shoes has continued to decline. Under the influence of the financial crisis, the growth rate of Chinese footwear exports in 2009 was almost zero. In the second half of 2009, Brazil, Argentina, Peru, Ecuador and other countries in Latin America successively adopted trade protection measures for Chinese footwear.

March saw that "At the moment, the first round of the WTO Expert Group meeting has just ended, and all parties have informed the situation of the case. The second round of the meeting will be held on or about January 20 of next year, and all parties will hold defenses at the meeting. The outcome of the verdict will be announced in March next year." This is the latest news that the reporter has called Pu Ling Chen.

In this context, the Chinese government and the enterprise level also launched a tenacious struggle against the EU's anti-dumping measures against Chinese leather shoes.

It is understood that due to the huge impact of the anti-dumping case involving China Shoes and its longest duration, the Ministry of Commerce in the beginning of 2010 invited the WTO to set up a task force to examine the case. On May 18th, the WTO's Dispute Settlement Body (DSB) formally established an expert group to review the relevant provisions of the EU Anti-dumping Basic Law and EU anti-dumping measures on Chinese leather shoes in accordance with the WTO rules.

According to relevant experts, the trade dispute resolution mechanism formed the unique “two-trial final review system” of WT0, which has a strong judicial system and enhanced the authority of the dispute settlement mechanism. At the same time, the rules and nature of existing dispute settlement mechanisms also determine the characteristics of “the high plaintiff’s winning rate”. In particular, some of the protection clauses for developing countries have made the plaintiffs in developing countries a higher rate of success. It is understood that since 1995, the average plaintiff's winning rate of all WTO members under the dispute settlement mechanism is about 86%, and the overall rate of success for developing countries as plaintiffs is as high as 93%.

At the same time, at the moment, the industry has not “idle” and started the “last decisive battle.”

In early 2010, after the European Court of First Instance rejected the anti-dumping lawsuit requests of 5 Chinese shoe companies including Aokang, Aokang, who was not to be outdone, filed a lawsuit again in the EU High Court in June 2010. He appealed to the EU’s lower court and asked the EU High Court to re Trial.

“At present, the EU High Court is hearing the defense procedures of the parties involved. The procedure is expected to be completed early next year. If necessary, the Higher Court will also hold an oral defense meeting.” Pu Lingchen stated that the EU is a consortium that respects the law more. Aokang appeals. The high court case will not be interfered by too many factors such as political economy, and the outcome of the Supreme Court decision should be more optimistic.

In May of this year, Aokang formally acquired the ownership of the brand of Italy's first brand, Maliwy Greater China. Facing the EU's anti-dumping duties, Aokang actively explored the international cooperation model. "From the point of view of world economic development, internationalization has not been easy. When Samsung went to the world, it was shunned by developed countries. However, Samsung did not give up, and finally successfully completed the internationalization. So now China's shoe enterprises are facing exports. Pressure and difficulties are only temporary, and we believe that through the strengthening of our brand building and the further improvement of shoemaking technology, we will surely usher in an international spring.” said Wang Zhenyu, chairman of Zhejiang Aokang Shoes Co., Ltd.