Czech footwear output in the Czech Republic dropped to five million pairs in 2004 as domestic shoe producers struggled to compete with low priced Chinese imports, according to data released by the Czech Footwear Association (COA). Chinese footwear firms exported almost 32 million pairs of shoes to the Czech Republic last year, priced on average at Kc50 ($2.158) per pair. In 2000, Czech shoemakers manufactured 13 million pairs of shoes, whilst Chinese imports amounted to 18.6 million pairs.

In a recent meeting of industry experts, COA president Petr Kubat said that Asian retail dealers issue no receipts on the purchase of products, hold back sales figures and evade taxes. Chairman of the Parliament's Economic Committee Josef Hojdar (Social Democrats, CSSD) has advised shoemakers that stricter checks at open-air market places and shops could curb the growth in imports.

According to Miroslav Halfar of the Czech Association of Textile, Clothing and Leather Industries (ATOK), Chinese clothing imported to the EU is subject to virtually no customs duties or quotas. A duty of some 30% is imposed on Czech goods exported to China and duty on exports to India and Pakistan amounts to as much as 80-90%, said Halfar, disqualifying Czech producers. "The Czech foreign trade minister should see to it that the EU takes measures against China where firms ignore copyright law, fail to meet production standards and employ children," he added.

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