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U.S. retailers sue to block textile curbs on China
Washington, Dec 1 (Reuters) - U.S. clothing retailers and importers sued Wednesday to prevent the Bush administration from slapping emergency restrictions on imports from China at the request of the domestic textile industry.
The suit filed at the U.S. Court of International Trade in New York comes one month before a quota system that has shielded U.S. textile producers for decades comes to an end as the result of a 1994 world trade pact.
China is expected to dominate the U.S. import market for clothing and textiles after the quota system expires.
To cushion the blow, textile industry groups have filed 12 separate petitions asking the government to impose emergency import restrictions on paints, underwear, bras and other clothing and textile imports from China.
However, U.S. retailers such as J.C. Penney and Wal-Mart have eagerly awaited the end of the quotas, which is expected to mean lower clothing prices for consumers.
Laura Jones, director of the U.S. Association of Importers of Textiles and apparel, said her group had no choice after its complaints were ignored but to seek an injunction blocking a Bush administration committee headed by the Commerce Department from further considering the petitions.
“The industry is very, very frustrated at the way we’ve been treated by our government,” Jones said.
THREAT VERSUS ACTUAL SURGE
World Trade Organization rule allow the United States to impose emergency clothing and textile categories to just 7.5 percent above the previous year.
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