Anti-dumping charge rejected

Anti-dumping charge rejected

BRUSSELS (AFP): European Union members' permanent representatives on Wednesday rejected proposed anti-dumping duties for five years on unbleached cotton fabrics from China, Egypt, India, Indonesia and Pakistan, EU sources said.

The rejection came at a meeting in Brussels of the members' permanent representatives, who voted 8 to 6 with 1 abstention to reject a recommendation for such duties made by the European Commission in July.

The rejection will be formally ratified by EU foreign ministers meeting in Luxembourg next Monday, and it will result in reimbursement for the countries in question of the provisional anti-dumping duties that they have paid for six months.

The rates proposed by the commission averaged 10.9 percent for Chinese exporters, 11.1 percent for Pakistan, 13.7 for Indonesia, 16.1 for India, and 18.5 percent for the Egyptians. The proposal created some resentment in the countries concerned.