EU to extend anti-dumping duties on Chinese shoes

A European Union source says the EU will extend anti-dumping tariffs on shoes from China and Vietnam into next year, AFP reported. The measures were introduced two years ago after the EU said leather shoes being sent to Europe from those two countries unfairly benefited from state aid. The Asian countries strongly criticized the tariffs, which were originally imposed for two years and were due to expire next month. Now, a source said, they will be extended into 2009 or beyond. The EU anti-dumping measures involve import duties of 16.5% on Chinese shoes with leather uppers and 10% on those kinds of shoes from Vietnam. Chinese companies and the Chinese government said the measures did not conform with EU and World Trade Organization regulations.