Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06LAPAZ1797
2006-06-30 14:03:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy La Paz
Cable title:
USED CLOTHING IMPORTS TEMPORARILY EXTENDED
VZCZCXYZ0000 RR RUEHWEB DE RUEHLP #1797 1811403 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 301403Z JUN 06 FM AMEMBASSY LA PAZ TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 9823 INFO RUEHAC/AMEMBASSY ASUNCION 5975 RUEHBO/AMEMBASSY BOGOTA 3293 RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA 7142 RUEHBU/AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES 4399 RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS 1682 RUEHPE/AMEMBASSY LIMA 1684 RUEHME/AMEMBASSY MEXICO 1746 RUEHMN/AMEMBASSY MONTEVIDEO 3896 RUEHQT/AMEMBASSY QUITO 4313 RUEHSG/AMEMBASSY SANTIAGO 8870 RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHINGTON DC RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC
UNCLAS LA PAZ 001797
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR WHA/AND LPETRONI
COMMERCE FOR JANGLIN, MDYBCZAK, LMARTINICH, AND RSTETSON
TREASURY FOR SGOOCH
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ETRD EINV ECON BL
SUBJECT: USED CLOTHING IMPORTS TEMPORARILY EXTENDED
REF: LA PAZ 299
UNCLAS LA PAZ 001797
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR WHA/AND LPETRONI
COMMERCE FOR JANGLIN, MDYBCZAK, LMARTINICH, AND RSTETSON
TREASURY FOR SGOOCH
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ETRD EINV ECON BL
SUBJECT: USED CLOTHING IMPORTS TEMPORARILY EXTENDED
REF: LA PAZ 299
1. (U) Summary: In a June 21 supreme decree, the GOB extended
used clothing imports until April 20, 2007, and said it would
allow used clothing sales through February 28, 2008.
Reactions were mixed, with some groups accusing the GOB of
harming small apparel producers and others suggesting the
GOB's decision would eliminate the livelihood of thousands of
used clothing importers. End summary.
2. (U) In Supreme Decree 28761, issued June 21, the GOB
extended used clothing imports until April 20, 2007, and said
it would allow used clothing sales through February 28, 2008.
The decree said there was no possibility of extension;
renewed bans on old or damaged clothing, intimate apparel,
and bedding; and placed new prohibitions on the sale of
donated clothing, charging the Ministries of Finance and
Production with authorizing individual shipments' entry. The
decree also stated that used clothing imports would require
certificates of disinfection issued at both origin and
destination, with the latter issued by the Bolivian Health
Ministry or by designated concessionaires.
3. (U) Reactions were mixed, with some groups accusing the
GOB of harming small apparel producers and others suggesting
the GOB's decision would eliminate the livelihood of
thousands of used clothing importers. According to press
reports, Committee for the Defense of National Industry
representatives argued that small apparel producers, many of
whom work in family-owned workshops, cannot compete with
cheap imported goods and may be forced to close. Others,
like the Bolivian Foreign Trade Institute, suggested the
GOB's decision to eventually ban used clothing imports would
eliminate the incomes of the estimated 15,000 people directly
or indirectly involved in the used clothing trade.
4. (SBU) Comment: The Morales administration struggled with
this issue months ago (reftel) but postponed a "definitive"
decision until now. Even with the new decree, the matter
will likely remain contentious, as the GOB seems unable to
avoid a trade-off between small apparel producers and used
clothing sellers. For U.S. suppliers of used clothing,
however, the GOB's decision is good news, at least for now.
End comment.
GREENLEE
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR WHA/AND LPETRONI
COMMERCE FOR JANGLIN, MDYBCZAK, LMARTINICH, AND RSTETSON
TREASURY FOR SGOOCH
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ETRD EINV ECON BL
SUBJECT: USED CLOTHING IMPORTS TEMPORARILY EXTENDED
REF: LA PAZ 299
1. (U) Summary: In a June 21 supreme decree, the GOB extended
used clothing imports until April 20, 2007, and said it would
allow used clothing sales through February 28, 2008.
Reactions were mixed, with some groups accusing the GOB of
harming small apparel producers and others suggesting the
GOB's decision would eliminate the livelihood of thousands of
used clothing importers. End summary.
2. (U) In Supreme Decree 28761, issued June 21, the GOB
extended used clothing imports until April 20, 2007, and said
it would allow used clothing sales through February 28, 2008.
The decree said there was no possibility of extension;
renewed bans on old or damaged clothing, intimate apparel,
and bedding; and placed new prohibitions on the sale of
donated clothing, charging the Ministries of Finance and
Production with authorizing individual shipments' entry. The
decree also stated that used clothing imports would require
certificates of disinfection issued at both origin and
destination, with the latter issued by the Bolivian Health
Ministry or by designated concessionaires.
3. (U) Reactions were mixed, with some groups accusing the
GOB of harming small apparel producers and others suggesting
the GOB's decision would eliminate the livelihood of
thousands of used clothing importers. According to press
reports, Committee for the Defense of National Industry
representatives argued that small apparel producers, many of
whom work in family-owned workshops, cannot compete with
cheap imported goods and may be forced to close. Others,
like the Bolivian Foreign Trade Institute, suggested the
GOB's decision to eventually ban used clothing imports would
eliminate the incomes of the estimated 15,000 people directly
or indirectly involved in the used clothing trade.
4. (SBU) Comment: The Morales administration struggled with
this issue months ago (reftel) but postponed a "definitive"
decision until now. Even with the new decree, the matter
will likely remain contentious, as the GOB seems unable to
avoid a trade-off between small apparel producers and used
clothing sellers. For U.S. suppliers of used clothing,
however, the GOB's decision is good news, at least for now.
End comment.
GREENLEE