This report examines trends in EU25 imports and import prices of 12 major product categories: cotton yarn; fabrics woven from synthetic staple fibres; fabrics woven from synthetic filament yarn; T-shirts; pullovers; trousers; women's blouses; men's shirts; women's overcoats; women's dresses; women's skirts; and women's suits.
Overall, EU25 textile and clothing imports rose in value by 10.7% in 2006, reaching Euro81.06 bn (US$101.72 bn). In volume terms, imports rose by a lesser 5.7%, indicating an increase in the average import price. Textile imports alone were up by 9.2% while clothing imports increased by 11.3%.
Competition among suppliers has intensified in recent years as trade liberalisation has progressed and import prices have dropped. Between 2000 and 2005 the average price of textile imports fell by 21% while the price of clothing imports declined by 24%. In 2006, however, this situation reversed as textile and clothing import prices rose by 5.0% and 2.0% respectively. One factor behind the price rise was the implementation in 2005 of safeguard quotas against China. The quotas also led to a slowdown in the growth of EU25 imports from China. Moreover, in the case of all ten products subject to safeguard quotas, import volumes from China declined at double digit rates and average prices rose. That said, Chinese exporters made strong gains in other product categories.
Despite the overall price increase in 2006, a number of suppliers reduced their prices in order to retain or gain market share in a year when China was being held back by quotas. The average price of clothing imports from Vietnam, for example, fell by 40% to less than half of the average price of clothing imports from all countries. Meanwhile, the volume of imports from Vietnam surged by 147%. Imports from Vietnam grew especially rapidly in the case of the six clothing categories affected by safeguard quotas against China.
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