End of EU GSP for Vietnamese footwear

Published: 13 January, 2009

The European Union removed Vietnamese footwear from the Generalised System of Preferences (GSP) as of the start of this year, according to the Vietnamese News Agency.

An official from the Vietnam Leather and Footwear Association (Lefaso) was reported as saying that the loss of GSP status and the current EU anti-dumping duty of 10% on Vietnamese leather upper shoes will worsen the current difficulties of domestic shoe manufacturers. EU duties on imports of Vietnamese leather footwear will now be increased. Vietnam's footwear industry is reported to have recorded exports worth US$4.5 billion in 2008, a year-on-year increase of 10%.