The European Commission (EC), the executive body of the European Union (EU), announced on Thursday that it started to launch an investigation into the alleged dumping of Chinese and Indian safety footwear on the bloc's market.

"The investigation will determine whether the product concerned originating from the People's Republic of China and India is being dumped and whether this dumping has caused injury," said a notice in the EU's official journal.

"If, as a result of the investigation started today, it is demonstrated that predatory prices are practiced, then action will be considered," said commission spokeswoman on trade Claude Veron- Reville.

Veron-Reville said the probe, which follows a complaint lodged on May 17 by European shoe manufacturers, will be carried out according to the guidelines of the World Trade Organization (WTO).

Statistics provided by the EC said the imports of safety shoes from China increased by 226 percent in 2004 compared to 2002, hitting over 8.8 million pairs, while the average price decreased by about 28 percent.

For Indian shoes, the imports increased by 57 percent in 2004 compared to 2002, while the average price decreased by 7.4 percent.

However, a spokesperson from China's Commerce Ministry recently said the EU's figures were erroneous and distorted, which misled the general public.

Veron-Reville said the probe usually lasts 15 months but the EC hoped that they could see a primary result within three months.

She told Xinhua that the EC discussed the issue with the Chinese side last week before it decided to launch the probe. A Chinese vice commerce minister will lead a delegation to Brussels to hold further talks on the matter.

Source: Xinhua