European Union (EU) trade commissioner Peter Mandelson extended on Wednesday his welcome to the approval of the EU-China deal by the EU member states.

"I am very pleased that Member States have approved the agreement with China and the Commission's proposal for unblocking textile imports from China," said a statement e-mailed to Xinhua by the European Commission.

On Wednesday afternoon, the representatives of the 25 EU member states met to give the green light to the EU-China deal to release 80 million Chinese import garments blocked at EU ports because the quotas had been used up.

"This solidarity now allows the (European) Commission to put in place the legal instrument which should allow the Member States to begin unblocking goods next week," said Mandelson who was in New Delhi for the EU-India summit.

An EC spokeswoman said the blocked goods would be finally released in the middle of next week following the nod from the EU member states on the deal.

Source: Xinhua