Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06THEHAGUE1940
2006-09-05 12:50:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy The Hague
Cable title:  

TEXTILES AND APPAREL SECTOR: THE NETHERLANDS

Tags:  ECON ETRD KTEX NL 
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VZCZCXRO1173
RR RUEHAST
DE RUEHTC #1940 2481250
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 051250Z SEP 06
FM AMEMBASSY THE HAGUE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 6711
INFO RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC
RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
UNCLAS THE HAGUE 001940 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EUR/UBI AND EB/TPP/ABT (LERSTEN)
COMMERCE FOR ITA/OTEXA/DANDREA
STATE PASS USTR FOR ABIOLA HEYLIGER

E.O. 12356: N/A
TAGS: ECON ETRD KTEX NL
SUBJECT: TEXTILES AND APPAREL SECTOR: THE NETHERLANDS

REF: STATE 138090

UNCLAS THE HAGUE 001940

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EUR/UBI AND EB/TPP/ABT (LERSTEN)
COMMERCE FOR ITA/OTEXA/DANDREA
STATE PASS USTR FOR ABIOLA HEYLIGER

E.O. 12356: N/A
TAGS: ECON ETRD KTEX NL
SUBJECT: TEXTILES AND APPAREL SECTOR: THE NETHERLANDS

REF: STATE 138090


1. In response to reftel, the following are the main sector
data for the Dutch textiles and apparel producing industry
and a description of the Dutch stance on imports from China.
All data are for 2005.

-- Total industrial production:
234 billion euros (300 billion dollars)
-- Total textiles production:
2.6 billion euros (3.3 billion dollars)
-- Total apparel production:
975 million euros (1.3 billion dollars)
-- Share of textiles and apparel in total Dutch imports:
2.6 percent
-- Share of textiles and apparel in total Dutch exports:
1.8 percent
-- Dutch exports of textiles and apparel to the U.S.:
227 million euros (290 million dollars)
-- Total manufacturing employment:
924,000 people
-- Total textiles, apparel, and leather employment:
23,000 people


2. Dutch textiles and apparel producing industries have
been in decline for several decades. Remaining companies
have generally outsourced their basic production and have
focused on more specialized products, design, and marketing.
The Dutch government is focused on textile importers and
apparel retailers. For instance, during the debate about re-
establishing quotas for Chinese textiles in the summer of
2005, Foreign Trade Minister Karien van Gennip was a strong
supporter of flexible quotas and urged other European
governments to abandon outdated means of production. In
general, the Netherlands is a large importer of Chinese
goods, but most of those goods are intended for re-export to
other European countries.