UK retailers want shoe tax dropped

On Thursday, the European Commission will decide on whether to extend anti-dumping duties on leather shoes made in China. The duties have been effective for three years. The British Retail Consortium has said that local retailers strongly demand the revocation of the punitive duties.

The British Retail Consortium says the anti-dumping duties on Chinese shoes are unreasonable and unfair.

The British Retail Consortium says the anti-dumping duties on Chinese shoes are unreasonable and unfair. It says the duties have been actually hurting European consumers by forcing them to pay higher prices.

The European Commission started levying the anti-dumping duties of up to 16.5 percent on imports of Chinese shoes in October 2006. It reviewed and extended the duties in October last year.

EU countries import over 160 million pairs of Chinese leather shoes each year. Some European shoe makers are keen to ward off competition from Chinese shoes entering their home markets. But the retail consortium argues the imposition of the anti-dumping duties has harmed competition.