The E.U. and China had not settled Sunday a dispute over the increase flow of Chinese textile goods to the bloc in talks between European Union Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson and Chinese Trade Minister Bo Xilai, dpa reported. The talks had lasted until early Monday local time. A spokesman for Mandelson said: "There was still disagreement on important aspects," adding that "Discussions were continuing at expert level." However, the talks had been "constructive" and both sides were not too far apart, the spokesman said. Mandelson had earlier Sunday expected a breakthrough in the current trade dispute between the E.U. and China. "There could well be an agreement by tomorrow," Mandelson told journalists after three hours of talks with Bo Xilai on Sunday. Both sides had hoped to reach an agreement before the arrival Monday of British Prime Minister Tony Blair, in his capacity as current E.U. president, in Beijing to meet with Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao. E.U. Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso had expressed hope that an agreement would be reached to allow the release of Chinese textiles imports to retailers. Millions of pullovers, trousers, blouses, and other textiles that are currently being held at European docks after the products outstripped import quotas. The Commission has remained in contact with the E.U. member states to arrive at a solution in Beijing, informed sources said. Barroso has stated that the goods at the ports in several categories would have to be applied to quotas for 2006 and 2007.
