• Research
  • Strategic Europe
  • About
  • Experts
Carnegie Europe logoCarnegie lettermark logo
EUNATO
  • Donate
{
  "authors": [
    "Viji Rangaswami"
  ],
  "type": "other",
  "centerAffiliationAll": "",
  "centers": [
    "Carnegie Endowment for International Peace"
  ],
  "collections": [],
  "englishNewsletterAll": "",
  "nonEnglishNewsletterAll": "",
  "primaryCenter": "Carnegie Endowment for International Peace",
  "programAffiliation": "",
  "programs": [],
  "projects": [],
  "regions": [
    "North America",
    "United States",
    "South America"
  ],
  "topics": [
    "Economy",
    "Trade"
  ]
}
REQUIRED IMAGE

REQUIRED IMAGE

Other

A Stitch in Time: Helping Vulnerable Countries Meet the Challenges of Apparel Quota Elimination

In the wake of the WTO's elimination of apparel export quotas, analysts predict that China and a handful of other efficient, low-cost producers will dominate the global market within a few years, shutting smaller, less industrialized countries out of an industry that created millions of jobs and often was the first step in the process of industrialization.

Link Copied
By Viji Rangaswami
Published on Sep 27, 2005

On January 1, 2005, the United States and other members of the WTO eliminated all quotas limiting the amount of textiles and apparel developing countries can send abroad. Analysts predict that China and a handful of other efficient, low-cost producers will dominate the global market within a few years, shutting smaller, less industrialized countries out of an industry that created millions of jobs and often was the first step in the process of industrialization. 

In this new Policy Outlook, Carnegie associate Viji Rangaswami gives detailed prescriptions in four areas: 1) enhanced trade preferences for vulnerable countries; 2) targeted technical assistance to help affected countries improve competitiveness (for example, through infrastructure improvement and customs facilitation); 3) assistance to help countries differentiate their exports in the global marketplace; and 4) assistance to help affected countries manage inevitable dislocations.

Click on the link above for the full text of the Carnegie publication.

About the Author
Viji Rangaswami
is an associate in the Trade, Equity, and Development Project at the Carnegie Endowment.

About the Author

Viji Rangaswami

Former Associate

    Recent Work

  • Article
    Farm Policies Block Progress for the Poor

      Viji Rangaswami, Lionel Johnson

  • Other
    Nickel and Diming the Poor: U.S. Implementation of the LDC Initiative

      Viji Rangaswami

Viji Rangaswami
Former Associate
Viji Rangaswami
EconomyTradeNorth AmericaUnited StatesSouth America

Carnegie does not take institutional positions on public policy issues; the views represented herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Carnegie, its staff, or its trustees.

More Work from Carnegie Europe

  • Commentary
    Strategic Europe
    Taking the Pulse: Are Western Democracies Failing Free Speech?

    The battle over free speech has taken center stage since U.S. Vice President JD Vance accused Europe of censorship. From travel bans to social media regulation, especially around the Israel-Palestine conflict, are liberal democratic governments weaponizing free speech?

      • Rym Momtaz

      Rym Momtaz, ed.

  • Commentary
    Strategic Europe
    Europe Should Not Let Nuclear Nonproliferation Die

    Amid uncertainty caused by the Iran war, the global drive for nonproliferation has stalled. With Europe diplomatically marginalized and countries reassessing their nuclear options, efforts to curb the spread of nuclear weapons risk becoming irrelevant.

      • Jane Darby Menton

      Jane Darby Menton

  • Commentary
    Can Europe Compete with the United States and China?

    Between the United States’ market-driven approach and China's state-led industrial strategy, Europe is reckoning with how it can remain competitive in the global economy. But is Europe in danger of becoming a U.S. or China colony?

      Noah Barkin, Anu Bradford

  • Commentary
    Strategic Europe
    Trump Turns NATO into a Tool of Coercion

    The full list of humiliations Europe has endured since Donald Trump returned to the White House makes for grim reading. But Washington’s adversarial approach to its allies undermines its own power base.

      • Rym Momtaz

      Rym Momtaz

  • Commentary
    Strategic Europe
    Taking the Pulse: Is it Worth it for Europeans to Placate Trump?

    After spending much of 2025 trying to placate Donald Trump, some European leaders are starting to change posture. But is even a hostile Washington still so important to Europe that the U.S. president’s outbursts are worth putting up with?

      • Rym Momtaz

      Rym Momtaz, ed.

Get more news and analysis from
Carnegie Europe
Carnegie Europe logo, white
Rue du Congrès, 151000 Brussels, Belgium
  • Research
  • Strategic Europe
  • About
  • Experts
  • Projects
  • Events
  • Contact
  • Careers
  • Privacy
  • For Media
  • Gender Equality Plan
Get more news and analysis from
Carnegie Europe
© 2026 Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. All rights reserved.