It is fair to assume that we shall be saying farewell to the quota system on imports of Chinese clothing and textiles on December 31, according to Brian Brink, executive director of the Textile Federation. When it was originally promulgated in 2006, the present quota system had a definitive expiry date on old year’s night 2008, he told FTW. Another of the original conditions of the legislation was that the quota system could be extended if this was formally applied for by one of the industry bodies in the SA textile and clothing trades or by a labour union. “But,” said Brink, “my understanding of what was said by the director general of the department of trade and industry at a recent press conference was that no such requests had been received.” It doesn’t preclude some other intervention being asked for, Brink added, but at this late date he does not consider this likely.
