Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2003-06-18-Speech-3-099"
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"en.20030618.8.3-099"2
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"Madam President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, I will begin by congratulating the Commissioner on his reassuring words of introduction to this delicate matter. From 1 January 2005, the textile industry will indeed face a great challenge: after that date, quantitative restrictions on access to European Union, United States and Canadian markets will be lifted for all members of the World Trade Organisation. In other words, WTO members will have almost unrestricted access to those markets.
In accordance with the Doha Development Agenda, the aim of this measure is to channel the liberalisation of international trade in such a way as to benefit developing countries. The textile industry is very important in these countries. I would mention India, Pakistan and China in particular. China is a typical case: the World Bank predicts that its textile exports will double in the next five years. As the Commissioner mentioned, this sector is tremendously significant. The jobs of 2 000 000 people and total revenues of EUR 200 billion depend on it.
After expansion, the number of people employed in this sector will rise to over 2 500 000. This industry has one of the longest traditions in my country’s economic structure. Portugal is one of the biggest textile and clothing producers in the Union. Its exports in this sector represent 20% of its total exports. Portuguese textile products are a feature of all the major world markets, especially in the European Union and the United States.
The Portuguese textile and clothing industry is mainly composed of small and medium-sized enterprises, almost exclusively concentrated in the north of the country. Under these circumstances, it is vital to reflect at length on how to minimise the negative effects and maximise the potential released for European Union businesses by liberalised markets. It is essential to consolidate those features which will allow European textile companies to compete on the open market. The only possible methods of maintaining and increasing the significance and importance of the textiles and clothing sector in the European and world economies are research, technological development, information technology, training and professional development.
The institutions concerned should guarantee that conditions favour competitiveness and respect for international commercial law. In particular, they should combat starvation wages and child labour, as well as promoting improvements in welfare and health benefits, guarantees of basic employment rights, and the adoption of anti-fraud and other provisions.
In the specific case of Portugal, the next step should be a round of multilateral negotiations, under the auspices of the Doha Development Agenda, which will then be translated into tariff harmonisation and removal of non-tariff barriers. In practice, this will allow access to the market. We are aware of the great challenge we are facing. We maintain that future negotiations should be conducted thoroughly, without rushing, in order to achieve a balance between the Doha development commitments and the interests of the Union textile and clothing industry."@en1
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