European Union (EU) member states have reached "a strong consensus" on an early end to the Chinese clothing row, the European Commission said on Wednesday in Brussels.

Ambassadors of the 25 EU members met here Wednesday to discuss the proposals from European Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson to free up Chinese-made bras, trousers, pullovers and other items that have been held up at European borders.

"There was a strong consensus among member states that the current situation needs to be resolved as rapidly as possible and that the blocked goods need to be unblocked," the European Commission said in a brief statement issued after the meeting.

However, the EU officials said EU member states still remain divided on the key issue of under what condition can the stocked Chinese textile products be allowed to go through the European customs.

The European Commission planned to hold a plenary meeting on Thursday to discuss the proposals from Mandelson to resolve the Chinese textile stockpiles.

The Mandelson proposals, whose details are not made public yet, need the approval by a majority of the EU members.

The EU and China agreed in June in Shanghai to limit the trade growth of 10 clothing categories from sweaters to brassieres to about 10 percent after textile manufacturers in France, Italy and Spain complained that the end of a global quota system on Jan. 1 had made the imports of Chinese clothing into Europe surging, throwing their local businesses into turmoil.

However, the new limit has blocked piles of Chinese clothing which were imported before June by European wholesalers and retailers at the doorstep of the EU countries, causing an outcry from the local importers.

It is reported that more than 80 million items of Chinese garments, including T-shirts, sweaters, trousers and brassieres, have been blocked from entering the 25-nation bloc.

Mandelson defended the Shanghai agreement, saying there is no "better alternative."

Source: Xinhua