GAFTT Hails Developing Countries

for Making Quota Phase-out a Major WTO Issue

August 8, 2004

(Washington DC)  Following the conclusion of an informal meeting today of WTO member countries with WTO Director General Supachi, the Global Alliance for Fair Trade in Textiles (GAFTT) hailed developing country governments for turning the impact of the quota phase-out into a top WTO issue. 

According to press reports, eight developing countries spoke out on the need for the WTO to formally address the impact of the quota phase-out.  These countries were Bangladesh, Dominican Republic, Lesotho, Mauritius, Mexico, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Turkey. 

Also according to pr ess reports, Director General Supachi recognized that the impact of the quota phase-out was now a major issue that needed to be examined in depth by the WTO.

GAFTT noted that the meeting signaled a shift at the WTO, namely that for the first time, governments from major developing countries are demanding that the WTO take notice of the potentially devastating impact on local economies of the phase-out.  According to multiple studies and reports, China will take from one-half to two thirds of the world market in textiles and apparel once quotas are removed.   As a result of the meeting today, the potential loss of so many jobs worldwide can no longer be ignored, either by the WTO or countries that purport to be leaders of the developing world.

GAFTT noted that China and other countries that seek to dominate markets to their own end and disadvantage other developing member countries will now face scrutiny from the Council for Trade in Goods, which includes all WTO member countries.    

GAFTT, which now includes more than 98 trade groups from 51 countries, will work closely with its respective member governments to ensure that the plight of textile and apparel workers around the world is recognized and acted upon.   

Most recent countries joining the Alliance:  Tunisia, Jordan and El Salvador.

*    *    *

For additional information, please contact:

Lloyd Wood

Director of Media Relations

American Manufacturing Trade Action Coalition

+1 (202) 452-0866 or lwood@amtacdc.org  /  www.amtacdc.org

Cass Johnson

President

National Council of Textile Organizations

+1 (202) 415 6071 or cjohnson@ncto.org  /  www.ncto.org 

Ziya Sukun

Executive Director

ITKIB Association of New York

+1 (212) 398-6241 or ZSukun@itkibUSA.org  /  www.itkibUSA.org  

You may also visit the GAFTT website at www.fairtextiletrade.org.

Textile and Clothing Trade Associations Endorsing the Istanbul Declaration .

Argentina - Federacion Argentina de Industrias Textiles (FADIT-FITA)

Austria - Association of the Austrian Clothing Industry

Austria - Fachverband der Textilindustrie Osterreichs (Die Textilindustrie)

Austria - Eurocoton

Austria - Vereinigung Textilindustrie

Austria - Joint Committee of the Textile Finishing Industry in the E.U. (CRIET)

Bangladesh - Bangladesh Textile Mills Association (BTMA)

Bangladesh - Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers & Exporters Association (BKMEA)

Bangladesh - The Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry

Bangladesh - Bangladesh Terry Towel & Linen Manufacturers and Exporters Assoc.

Belgium - Federation Belge de L?Industrie Textile (FEBELTEX)

Belgium - Eurocoton

Belgium - Joint Committee of the Textile Finishing Industry in the E.U. (CRIET)

Belgium - International Association of Users of Artificial and Synthetic Filament Yarns

                 and of Natural Silk (AIUFFAS)

Bolivia - Asociacion Nacional de Textileros de Bolivia

Bolivia - Federacion Textil Andina

Botswana - Botswana Export Development and Investment Authority (BEDIA)

Bulgaria - Association of Apparel and Textile Exporters in Bulgaria

Bulgaria - Bulgarian Association of Textile and Clothing

Bulgaria - Bulgarian Industrial Chamber

Bulgaria - Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry

Chile - Instituto Textil de Chile ? Asociacion Gremial

Colombia - Asociacion Colombiana de Productores Textiles (ASCOLTEX)

Colombia - Federacion Textil Andina

Costa Rica - Costa Rica Textile Chamber

Costa Rica - Textile Quota Council

Czech Republic - Association of Textile-Clothing-Leather Industries

Dominican Republic - Dominican Free Zones Association (ADZONA)

Denmark - Joint Committee of the Textile Finishing Industry in the E.U. (CRIET)

Ecuador - Asociacion Textil del Ecuador (AITE)

Ecuador - Federacion Textil Andina

El Salavador - Union de Industrias Textiles

France - Eurocoton

France - Federation Francaise des Industries Lainiere et Cotonniere (FFILC)

France - Union Francaise des Industries de l?Habillement (UFIH)

France - Union des Industries Textiles (UIT)

France - Joint Committee of the Textile Finishing Industry in the E.U. (CRIET)

France - International Association of Users of Artificial and Synthetic Filament Yarns         

               and of Natural Silk (AIUFFAS)

Germany - Eurocoton

Germany - Industrievereinigung Garne ? Gewebe Technische Textilen

Germany - Joint Committee of the Textile Finishing Industry in the E.U. (CRIET)

Ghana - Gold Coast of Ghana

Greece - Association des Industries Cotonnieres de Grece

Greece - Hellenic Fashion Industry Association

Greece - Eurocoton

Greece - Panhellenic Union of Cotton Ginners and Exporters

Honduras - Honduran Apparel Manufacturers Association

Indonesia - Himpunan Pengusaha Kecil & Koperasi - Tekstil and Produk Tekstil

                    (HPKK-TPT)

Indonesia - Asosiasi Industri Rakyat (AIR)

Indonesia - API DKI JAYA ? Indonesian Textile Association of Greater Jakarta

Israel - The Manufactures? Association of Israel, Fashion & Textile Industries Assoc.

Italy - Associazione Italiana Industrie della Filliera Tessile Abbigliamento (AIIFTA)

Italy - Associazione Tessile Italiana (ATI)

Italy - Eurocoton

Italy - Joint Committee of the Textile Finishing Industry in the E.U. (CRIET)

Italy - International Association of Users of Artificial and Synthetic Filament Yarns

           and of Natural Silk (AIUFFAS)

Ivory Coast - Agency for the Promotion of Exports (APEX-CI)

Jordan - Jordan Garments, Accessories & Textile Exporters Association (JGATE)

Kenya - Kenya Apparel Manufacturers Exporters Association

Kenya - Kenya Association of Manufacturers ? Textile Sector (KAM)

Latvia - Association of Textile and Clothing Industry

Lesotho - Lesotho Textile Exporters Association

Lithuania - Lithuanian Apparel and Textile Industry Association

Madagascar - Madagascar Export Promotion Association (GEFP)

Mauritius - Mauritius Export Processing Zone Association (MEPZA)

Mauritius - Mauritius-US Business Association  (MUSBA)

Mexico - Camera Nacional de la Industria Textil (CANAINTEX)

Mexico - C?ra Nacional de la Industria del Vestido (CNIV)

Mexico - C?ra Mexicana de la Industria Textil Central

Mexico - C?ra Textil de Occidente

Namibia - Namibian Investment Authority

Nepal - Garment Association of Nepal (GAN)

Netherlands - Joint Committee of the Textile Finishing Industry in the E.U. (CRIET)

Norway - Joint Committee of the Textile Finishing Industry in the E.U. (CRIET)

Paraguay - C?ra Textil Paraguaya

Peru - Comite de Confecciones de la Sociedad Nacional de Industrias del  Per?

Peru - Comite Textil de la Sociedad Nacional de Industries del Peru

Peru - Federacion Textil Andina

Philippines - Confederation of Garments Exporters of the Philippines

Poland - The Gdynia Cotton Association

Poland - Polish Textile and Clothing Chamber

Poland - Polish Chamber of Textile Industry

Poland - Union of Employers of Textile Industry

Portugal - Federation of Portuguese Textile and Clothing Industry (FITVEP)

Portugal - Textile and Apparel Association of Portugal (ATP)

Senegal - Agency for the Promotion of Investments and Exports (APIX)

Slovenia - Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Slovenia, Textiles, Clothing and

                    Leather Processing Association

South Africa - Clothing Trade Council of South Africa (CloTrade)

South Africa - Export Council for the Clothing Industry in South Africa

South Africa - South African Textile Industry Export Council (SATIEC)

South Africa - Textile Federation of South Africa (TEXFED)

Spain - Agrupacion Espanola de Desmotadores de Algodon (AEDA)

Spain - Asociacion Industrial de Proceso Algodonero (AITPA)

Spain - Consejo Intertextil Espanol

Spain - Eurocoton

Spain - International Association of Users of Artificial and Synthetic Filament Yarns

             and of Natural Silk (AIUFFAS)

Sri Lanka - Joint Apparel Association Forum

Sri Lanka - National Apparel Exporters Association

Swaziland - Swaziland Investment Promotion Authority (SIPA)

Swaziland - Swaziland Textile Exporters Association (STEA)

Switzerland - Eurocoton

Switzerland - Swiss Spinning Committee

Switzerland - Joint Committee of the Textile Finishing Industry in the E.U. (CRIET)

Switzerland - International Association of Users of Artificial and Synthetic Filament

                       Yarns and of Natural Silk (AIUFFAS)

Tanzania - Tanzania Investment Center (TIC)

Tunisia - Federation Nationale de Textile (FENATEX)

Turkey - Turkish Textile and Raw Materials Exporters Association (ITKIB Textiles)

Turkey - Turkish Ready Wear and Garments Exporters Association (ITKIB Apparel)

Turkey - Turkish Clothing Manufacturers Association (TGSD)

Turkey - Turkish Textile Employers Association (TUTSIS)

Turkey - Eurocoton

Turkey - Joint Committee of the Textile Finishing Industry in the E.U. (CRIET)

Turkey - International Association of Users of Artificial and Synthetic Filament Yarns

                and of Natural Silk (AIUFFAS)

United Kingdom - Joint Comte. of the Textile Finishing Industry in the E.U. (CRIET)

United Kingdom - International Association of Users of Artificial and Synthetic

                               Filament Yarns and of Natural Silk (AIUFFAS)

United States - American Manufacturing Trade Action Coalition (AMTAC)

United States - American Yarn Spinners Association (AYSA)

United States - National Cotton Council (NCC)

United States - National Council of Textile Organizations (NCTO)

United States - National Textile Association (NTA)

Uruguay - Asociacion de Industrias Textiles del Uruguay

Venezuela - Asociacion Textil Venezolana (ATV)

Venezuela - Federacion Textil Andina

Zambia - Export Board of Zambia

Zambia - Textile Producers Association of Zambia