The European Union granted developing nations improved market access for a range of products on Thursday, putting aside wrangling among its members over surging Asian textile imports. Asian economic power China remains in the EU scheme designed to lower trade barriers for poor nations' exports but sees its low-duty access to the 25-nation bloc cut by 80 percent compared to the previous regime which ran from 1995-2005. "It (the scheme) will focus EU trade preferences on the countries most in need, including those hit hard by the Asian tsunami last December," EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson said in a statement. The overall scheme will apply from January 1, 2006 but special preferences for the world's poorest states who meet international government, labour and environmental standards will start from July 1 this year. They could gain duty free access to the wealthy EU bloc for a range of products. Italian and French fears over lower duties on textile exports from Asian states, especially India, held up a deal in March. But a recent EU-China textile deal to limit Chinese exports helped ease worries. --More 2130 Local Time 1830 GMT
