Global Textiles and Clothing Trade. Trade Policy Perspectives

The author presents substantial case studies of the effect of the abolition of quotas on global trade in this sector. Concentrating mainly on China and Pakistan but also examining India, Indonesia, Vietnam, and seven other Asian T&C manufacturing countries, he contrasts post-abolition reality with pre-abolition predictions of the impact of abolishing quotas, and details the continuing distortion caused by tariffs, non-tariff barriers and through trade remedies such as safeguards and anti-dumping. All of the analysis is supported by the judicious use and interpretation of extensive statistics, compelling arguments, and interviews with entrepreneurs and trade officials in Pakistan (as a case study of a country predicted to be a major beneficiary of quota expiry).

Among the many crucial issues at the heart of the subject matter the author considers the following:

• the centrality of the quota system in the historical development of Asian T&C trade;
• the impact of rules of origin;
• preferential trade regimes;
• impact on outward production processing operations;
• role of large retailers and their influence on trade flows;
• human rights, employment, and social issues; and
• opening or restricting domestic markets of developed countries to imports from developing countries.

This area of international trade is expected to undergo numerous changes as countries adapt themselves to freer trading in T&C. For its incisive analysis of developing countries’ perspective – and for its extensive statistical and case-study supplement to theoretical analyses – this study of current developments and future directions is of strong interest to trade law experts, industry representatives, trade policy makers, scholars of trade policy, and everyone with a specific interest in textiles and clothing trade.