Remark by the Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam
about the outcome of the Meeting of Permanent Representatives of the Member States of the E.U (Ambassadors) on Anti-dumping Duties on Vietnamese Leather Shoes

1. At a meeting on December 17th, 2009, Ambassadors of the Member States to the E.U voted in favor of a 15-month extension of anti-dumping duties on leather-capped shoes imported from Vietnam (10 in favor, 13 against, and 4 abstentions). This is an unjust, unfair and unobjective decision which fails to accurately reflect the footwear production and business in Vietnam, runs against the fine relations of friendship and cooperation between Vietnam and the E.U, and deeply disappoint the Vietnamese government, enterprises and workers.

2. Vietnam reiterates that Vietnamese shoe makers do not dump their products. They have neither intention nor capability to pursue this policy for a long period since they are small and medium-sized enterprises, mostly sub-contracting for foreign manufactures, many of which come from the E.U. While the global economy has not fully recovered, the E.U extension will aggravate the difficulties confronted by Vietnamese enterprises and workers, and cause adverse impacts on European shoe makers who are doing business in Vietnam and a number of European consumers.
    

3. Therefore, Vietnam again requests that E.U member states and European Commission to review this case in an objective and fair manner, for the legitimate interest of Vietnamese enterprises and workers as well as that of European enterprises and consumers to come to an official decision to remove all anti-dumping duties on Vietnamese leather-capped shoes./.