The EU brewing further mentions the anti-dumping review complaints concerning shoes in China

“European footwear industry is currently brewing, once again filed an anti-dumping sunset review complaint against imports of leather shoes from China and Vietnam.” On December 9, the reporter called the director of the China Leather Association shoe-making office, Wei Yafei, to confirm the news. Since anti-dumping measures involving China Shoes will expire at the end of March next year, according to EU law, EU industry review appeals must be filed before the end of December.

It is reported that on October 5, 2006, the EU uniformly imposed a 16.5% anti-dumping duty on leather shoes originating in China. The period of the measures is 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 anti-dumping duties be extended by 15 months until March 2011.

"The EU Footwear Federation is likely to formally submit an application to the European Commission within the deadline." The Chinese lawyer Pu Lingchen, who has been acting as agent of anti-dumping cases concerning China Shoes, said in an interview: “Since Italy, Spain and other veteran footwear countries have been more active in submitting reexamination appeals, so before December, the EU footwear union It is likely that the anti-dumping review appeal will be filed again. Once this is done, it means that the EU anti-dumping case on China-made shoes will be reintroduced into the sunset review process and the anti-dumping duty will continue for some time."

The EU anti-dumping case on leather shoes that began in 2006 has seriously affected the export of leather footwear products in China, and the export of European leather shoes has continued to decline. In 2009, the growth rate of Chinese footwear exports 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.

In 2006, Aokang and other five Chinese shoe companies considered that the European Commission had violated the law in the investigation process and filed a judicial review in December 2006 with the European Court of First Instance. In March 2010, the result of the lawsuit that lasted for nearly four years was: The European Court of First Instance rejected the claims of five Chinese shoe companies. In June 2010, Aokang, who was not to be outdone, again filed a lawsuit in the EU High Court against the trial of the EU's lower court and asked the EU High Court to reopen the trial.

“At present, the EU High Court is examining the defense procedures of the parties involved. The procedure is expected to end early next year. If necessary, the High Court will also hold an oral defense meeting.” Pu Ling Chen said.

It is reported that due to the huge impact of the anti-dumping case involving shoes in China and the long duration, the Ministry of Commerce in 2010 proposed the World Trade Organization to set up a task force to examine the case. On May 18th, the WTO 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 shoes. “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 around January 20, next year, and the parties will hold a defense at the meeting. The result of the entire ruling will be March next year to see the outcome." Pu Ling Chen told reporters.