A European Union (EU) dumping charge against Chinese protective footwear makers has been dropped as leather shoemakers await the final ruling in their case.

The EU dumping charge against protective footwear imported from China was terminated after the European Confederation of the Footwear Industry formally withdrew its complaint, the European Commission said.

Chinese businesses had testified to the European Union that China's exports had not injured the bloc's shoemaking industry, said Li Fayin, a lawyer with Beijing-based Allbright Law Office, who represented the Chinese firms in the case.

"This is the first time Chinese enterprises have won an anti-dumping case in the EU market by non-injury appeal since Chinese lighter makers were successful in 2003," he said.

The success is the result of collaboration between the industry, organizations, lawyers and governments.

The Chinese businesses were proactive; nearly all large-sized protective footwear makers responded to the charge.

They presented sufficient facts to the European Commission to support the case that China's exports had not hurt their European counterparts, Li said.

"The European Commission did not give a preliminary ruling on protective footwear as in other dumping charges and its reasons were based on the Chinese enterprises' appeal."

Major protective footwear makers also persuaded their EU material suppliers to lobby the European Commission.

Li said the case set an example for other Chinese enterprises involved in anti-dumping cases.

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