EU, China strike deal to end trade dispute over clothing

CHINA and the European Union reached a deal yesterday to release millions of Chinese garments blocked by EU customs officers because they exceed import ceilings, clearing up a mess that was souring ties.

The search for a solution to release the 88 million sweaters, t-shirts, bras and other items had split the 25-member EU, embarrassed the EU's executive Commission and distracted diplomats from a China-EU summit in Beijing.

Millions of euros worth of clothes still remains locked up at warehouses in Dublin Port despite yesterday's agreement between China and the EU to end the fight.