Textile exporters may challenge anti-dumping duty on bed linen

The textile exporters would challenge the imposition of anti-dumping duty on Pakistani bed linen by the European Union (EU) in the World Trade Organisation and seek its immediate removal.
The move comes a few days after the European Commission slapped 13.1 percent anti-dumping duty on Pakistani bed linen to be implemented from March 18, a member of the Rawalpindi Chamber of Commerce and Industry said here on Friday.
He said that they have decided to take up the case in the WTO.
Pakistan, he said, would lose export earnings of more than $ 500 million if the 15-member European bloc went ahead with its decision of imposing anti-dumping duty on bed linen from Pakistan.
The EU decision would give advantage to the Indian exporters despite the superior quality of Pakistani textile products, he said, adding that the Pakistan government, though not a party to the row between exporters and the EU, had lobbied extensively in recent months against the anti-dumping duty.
Meanwhile, some business analysts said, as the anti-dumping duty was for five years, Pakistan textile exporters would be unable to take advantage of the free trade era.