The European Union (EU) is contemplating reintroducing an anti-dumping duty (at 16.5%) on five China and Hong Kong-based shoemakers.

The proposal - which would apply to standard footwear made with leather uppers in mainland China by Brosmann Footwear, Seasonable Footwear, Lung Pao Footwear, Risen Footwear and Zhejiang Aokang Shoes - was submitted to the EU Council of Ministers last month by the European Commission.

"We'll have a clearer picture on the possible approval by the council in the coming weeks," spokesperson Victor Flavian told just-style.

The re-imposition of duties follows a decision by the European Court of Justice (ECJ) in 2012 to scrap anti-dumping duties imposed on the five exporters, claiming that the Commission had made mistakes in the analysis it used to justify levying the tariffs.

Judges said the Commission should have looked at the whole shoe market when considering whether dumping had taken place "instead of restricting analysis to a sample of companies".

The Commission had concluded in 2008 the five exporters were selling shoes in Europe at below cost, and should therefore pay anti-dumping duties that could range between 9.7% to 16.5% on imports of certain footwear with uppers of leather made in China. The council is expected to make its decision by 19 March.

Arnoud Willems, a partner at US law firm Sidley Austin, China, said that as the world's biggest exporter, China is the "biggest victim of EU anti-dumping duties".

Source: Just-Style