Congressswoman calls for support of California apparel makers

This is On Tuesday, Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard led three of her colleagues from Los Angeles in sending a letter to the Acting U.S. Trade Representative, urging her to take action in response to the imposition of a steep increase in European Union tariffs on American-made women's jeans.These unfair duties will severely impact premium denim brands that employ thousands of California workers. The letter strongly encourages the Administration to make this issue a priority in upcoming trade negotiations with the EU. "Consumers around the world associate blue jeans with the United States," said Roybal-Allard. "Unfortunately, if the EU's excessive duties remain in place, it's likely that in the future, fewer denim brands will carry the label 'Made in America.' That's why fair market access for American apparel manufacturers should be a priority when trade talks begin with the European Union. "I call on the Administration to protect California manufacturing jobs by fighting for a level playing field for our state's iconic denim brands at these negotiations."

********** Published: May 30, 2013 - Volume 12 - Issue 07