IndustriAll Europe demands fair trade relations with China in the telecoms infrastructure sector

 Considering that good diplomatic and trade relations are not to be bought at the expense of fairness and jobs in the telecoms infrastructure sector, industriAll European Trade Union has set out its concerns regarding unfair trade practices by Chinese manufacturers, ahead of the upcoming EU  China Summit, to European Trade Commissioner Karel de Gucht.

  Although it considers that Chinese citizens and workers having access to decent living conditions through their efforts and skills is an economical and ethical advancement, industriAll Europe expresses criticism at practices that place European manufacturers at an unfair disadvantage, citing “direct subsidies by the central State government, provinces and municipalities, disproportionate credit facilities (amounting to a total of USD 45 billion) from State-owned banks, national preference for R&D subsidies, as well as social dumping.”

  IndustriAll Europe fears that the very existence of firms and competence centres is threatened and recalls that in a highly capital- and competence-intensive sector such as telecoms infrastructure equipment they cannot be re-created once they have disappeared. It also recalls the strategic importance of telecoms infrastructure for European security, since the control of such equipment gives unprecedented facilities for spying and eavesdropping.

Ulrich Eckelmann

 “These unfair trade practices have dire consequences for the EU as a whole and for European workers in particular”, stated Ulrich Eckelmann, General Secretary of industriAll European Trade Union. “We have therefore raised the problem with the European Commission, setting out the following demands:

 ·           Full light must be shed on unfair trade practices by some Chinese telecoms infrastructure equipment manufacturers and on the ensuing market distortions

 ·           All legal means available must be employed to defend the legitimate rights of European firms and workers, including contentious procedures in compliance with WTO disciplines

 ·           Provisions must be made in any further trade agreement with China to place competition on a level playing field as regards public support for industry, environmental standards and social rights for workers.”

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