Footwear makers in Mexico and Peru are considering legal action against Vietnamese footwear exporters for dumping, the Thanh Nien Daily newspaper reported, citing a trade official.
Peruvian businesses filed a lawsuit a few years ago but no evidence was found, said Bui Son Dung, deputy head of the Ministry of Industry and Trade’s Competition Management Department.
But they have not given up and keep asking authorities for further investigation, Dung added.
Nguyen Thi Tong, secretary general of the Vietnam Leather and Footwear Association, said authorities from Mexico’s anti-dumping agency have asked Vietnamese producers to supply information about footwear export to Mexico.
“That sent a message that Vietnamese footwear may face legal action from producers in Mexico,” she said.
Vietnam’s footwear exports to the two South American countries are still modest.
Tong, however, warned footwear producers to be prepared for lawsuits.
She told them their shipments should be easily traceable to illustrate fair and clear sources of production.
Vietnamese leather upper exporters last year faced anti-dumping tariffs of 10 per cent slapped by the European Commission, which said the products were sold at unfair prices since 2006.
Even after the measures expired last October, the EC has kept them in place pending a review to decide whether to extend them.
Footwear exports in the first 11 months were worth around US$4.2 billion. It is expected to rise to US$4.55 billion from the whole year, with 60 per cent contributed by foreign invested businesses.
The EU is Vietnam’s largest market, buying 54 per cent of its footwear exports, followed by the U.S. and Japan. (Thanh Nien Daily)
Vietnamese
