Bra wars end

last updated 8 January 2015

Brussels

The E.U. and China this week ended the trade dispute known as the “bra wars.” Millions of bras, sweaters, and pants made in China had been piling up in warehouses in European port cities since June, when the E.U. imposed a quota on Chinese goods. The items had already been ordered and paid for, and retailers argued that it wasn’t fair to ban them retroactively. The E.U. trade commissioner finally released the clothes on the condition that China export fewer clothes next year. But the E.U. is still squabbling internally over the issue. Britain favors more open trade, while France and several other countries want protective tariffs.