RCCI resents imposition of anti-dumping duty

Terming the imposition of anti-dumping duty on Pakistani cotton type bed-linen by European Union (EU) as injustice towards Pakistan textile industry, Hussain Ahmed Ozgen, President Rawalpindi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RCCI) has said that this decision of EU would result in disaster of the Pakistan textile industry and if appropriate measures are not taken in this regard country's exports would face acute crisis.
Talking to a group of reporters here on Monday, RCCI President said that exporters are looking towards the government that it will raise the issue forcefully.
He said that the exporters of the textile products have decided to challenge the imposition of anti-dumping duty by European Union (EU) in the World Trade Organisation and seek immediate removal of the duty imposed against the Pakistani product.
Business community is discussing the ways and means to this EU decision, he said and added that they have decided to take up the case in WTO.
By this imposition of duty Pakistan would lose the revenue of more than 500 million dollars if the 15-member European bloc goes ahead with its decision of imposing anti dumping on Pakistani product.
The decision of the EU would give great advantage to Indian exporters despite the fact that Pakistani textile products were far better quality than the other countries, he said and added that Pakistan government, though is not party to the row between Pakistani exporters and EU, had lobbied extensively in recent months against the anti-dumping duty.
The RCCI chief told Business Recorder that between 1995 and 2001, 1845 anti-dumping cases were initiated world-wide bringing the number of AD measures in place to 1063 at the end of 2001.
He said that like other low cost exporters Pakistani exporters are more and more frequent targets of AD investigations.
The European Union's repeated back to back-investigations and imposition of anti dumping duties on bed-linen from Pakistan, is giving clear indications of the bias attitude of the European Community towards Pakistan, Ozgen said and added that the developing countries have now actively begun the use of AD and CV measures, exporters in Pakistan perhaps not have the infrastructure to be able to effectively use these measures to protect the domestic industry from anti-dumping.
The RCCI chief said that the use of frivolous anti-dumping litigation is emerging as a tool for developed economies to impose tariff barriers by making false cases in sectors like textiles where they are unable to compete.
Ozgen demanded imposition of stringent penalties on the countries that impose false protective anti-dumping duties on exporters into their markets.
"Since there is no such penalty, countries affected by foreign competition are encouraged.
Meanwhile, RCCI President has criticised further increase in the POL prices and said that government by making such fluctuations is causing damages to country's industrial sector.