Analysis: Anti Dumping Measures Against Chinese Leather Shoes Exported To Europe

　　“中國輸歐皮鞋遭反傾銷措施案”能否通過中國官方與民間的共同努力，合理運用現行國際規則，打破發達國家不斷醞釀升級的貿易保護思潮和行動的無形壁壘，將是未來一年內最大的看點所在。 

The good quality and low price of China's exports have been seen all over the world.

However, for Chinese leather shoes manufacturers, their export to the European Union has been constantly bramble.

In the winter of 2003, the footwear products of more than 20 Chinese manufacturers were set ablaze in Rome, Italy. In September 17th of next year, a larger scale "shoe burning incident" took place in the eastern city of Elche.

In July 2005, the European Union formally launched anti-dumping investigation on China's export leather shoes.

The nightmare of Chinese shoes is coming.

In October 2006, the European Commission formally announced that it would levy anti-dumping duties on leather shoes from China for a two-year period with a duty rate of 16.5%. In December 2009, it again decided to extend the anti-dumping duty on Chinese leather shoes for 15 months, and the tax rate remained unchanged at 16.5%, and it began to implement in January this year.

Geneva local time on April 20th, the Chinese delegation to the World Trade Organization (WTO) formally requested the WTO to set up an expert group to investigate and decide whether the EU anti-dumping measures against China's leather shoes are in violation of international trade rules.

At the meeting on that day, the EU expressed regret for China's request and prevented the establishment of the expert group in accordance with relevant procedures.

However, if the Chinese side again requests the establishment of the expert group at the meeting of the dispute settlement body next month, the expert group will be established automatically.

 　　   歐委會“為裁決而裁決” 

As a case of trade friction that has been quite influential in recent years, the EU shoe case has been widely accepted by the industry as an exemplary influence on Sino foreign trade relations in the future.

The result of the unexpected ruling is extremely dissatisfied with Chinese leather shoes manufacturers.

On February 4th, the permanent mission of China to WTO sent a letter to the WTO delegation of the European Union to initiate a request for negotiation under the WTO dispute settlement mechanism on the anti-dumping measures adopted by the EU on leather shoes in China, and formally launched the WTO dispute settlement procedure.

In May 4th, the European Union High Court accepted the deadline for China's shoe enterprises to sue the European Union's litigation documents and relevant evidence materials. In recent 4 years, Zhang Ning, a professor of the Ministry of law of National School of Administration, has been concerned about the progress of the case. On the same day, he told reporters that 5 Chinese shoe companies such as AOKANG shoe Limited by Share Ltd and Zhejiang had appealed to the EU high court earlier.

On the other hand, on the 20 day of last month, the Chinese delegation to the WTO formally requested the world trade organization to set up an expert group to investigate and decide whether the anti-dumping measures adopted by the EU on Chinese leather shoes violated the rules of international trade. If the Chinese side again requested such a request at the WTO dispute resolution conference later this month, the expert group will be set up automatically.

The Mexico financier published a special report in April 15th, pointing out that although China has become the world's leading exporter, it is also one of the countries accused of unfair trade in the world in recent years.

According to the statistics of the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (CEPAL), 60% of the anti-dumping investigations launched by Latin American countries in 2008 to 2009 were against China.

Experts from Beijing WTO affairs center said that from the statistical results, at present, the 56 export products of our country are also suffering from EU trade remedy measures, which is relatively high globally.

Some of these products have gone through several anti-dumping or other trade remedy measures, but after the expiration of the relief measures, the European Union has launched the "sunset review" protection measures again, making the implementation period of trade remedy measures extended again and again.

China's leather shoes have been subjected to anti-dumping sanctions for nearly five years in a variety of EU anti-dumping exports to China.

　　 “損人不利己”  

Levying anti-dumping duties can not really save European shoe making enterprises.

Although this measure restricts the entry of Chinese and Vietnamese leather shoes into the European market, the market space is often squeezed by the products of other countries, and there is no long-term strategy for the idea of restricting imports and retaining domestic employment opportunities by levying anti-dumping duties.

The increase of jobs requires the economic recovery environment, which depends to a great extent on the viability of free trade.

Otherwise, even if the protectionist measures are applied to the extreme, they will eventually hurt others but not themselves.

Compared with the pressure from some countries to succumb to the pressure of domestic trade protectionism, China, which was also hit by the financial crisis, has conscientiously fulfilled its tax reduction commitments when it joined the WTO and gave trade protectionism a powerful counterattack.

China's initiative to make use of the WTO dispute settlement mechanism is also a way to observe and respect WTO rules.

WTO director general Lamy recently pointed out that opposing trade protectionism is the key to the success of coping with the international financial crisis. Countries should not retrogress in their relevant commitments.

In fact, free trade and trade liberalization are the trend in the era of globalization. Only with a broader mind to safeguard trade openness and fairness can we work together to promote the healthy development of the world economy.