Celebrating 75 Years of Service
March 17, 2010 Significant declines in cotton textile production characterized the condition of the Polish (and, for that matter, the European) cotton sector in 2009. Despite alarming data from the industry, the European Commission continues its liberal policies that cause European producers to be unable to compete with the huge mass of textiles imported at very low price levels from Asian countries. These Asian countries apply forbidden subsidies, tax rebates and other forms of support for their manufacturers and exporters.
In addition, European countries, the United States and Japan all deal with increasing ecological standards that raise production costs considerably and push European producers’ competitiveness down. Still further, as a result of the world financial crisis, producers face serious obstacles in acquiring the credit needed for basic business functions such as the purchase of raw materials.
Due to this situation, the importance of branch organizations is growing — especially those organizations that support the cotton sector by training staff members who deal with the promotion of cotton products. These members are the voices presenting opinions to the cotton industry.
On that note, I would like to highlight two tasks being undertaken by the Gdynia Cotton Association (GCA).
First, the progressing globalization of the industry, the change in the geography of textile production and cotton trade, and the liberalization of world trade over the last few years has prompted us to do further analyses and work related to cotton trade rules’ harmonization. GCA members — commercial companies trading on the global market — want to use one set of Rules which would be universal and accepted all over the world. With this in mind, the GCA Board of Directors resumed the theme of Rules harmonization. The GCA Office and the Rules Committee continues this work, particularly taking into consideration the widely applied International Cotton Association Rules.
Second, we regard it as indispensable to unify the cotton evaluation methods. A quick development of instrumental methods is needed. Therefore, the GCA actively participates in the works of the International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC) Task Force on Commercial Standardization of Instrument Testing of Cotton (CSITC). CSITC plays a special role in the popularization of the instrumental method, adapting it to the reality of contemporary cotton trade. Round Trials are an important element of maintaining the highest possible level of cotton tests. CSITC has organized Round Trials for the past three years. The GCA laboratory is among the 90 participating laboratories from all over the world.
Anniversary News
2010 is a very special year for GCA activity. On May 21, we will celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Gdynia Cotton Association. The GCA was founded in 1935 out of the urgent need for creating both rules and a place for settling disputes in the domestic port of discharging cotton. In 1938, the Arbitrating Body for Cotton in Gdynia commenced its activity. Supported by the elder European associations, the GCA created good conditions for cotton arbitrations — special premises for classing and arbitrating of cotton, practiced experts and formally accepted rules of arbitration.
The Gdynia Cotton Classification School opened in 1948 and is one of three institutions in the world holding such trainings. The cotton classification courses, international cotton conferences, seminars and workshops organized by the GCA are well known in the cotton society, both in Poland and around the world. Our recognized and professionally equipped ISO-accredited laboratory for testing cotton and yarns has been working since 1963. The GCA is also the licenser of the Polish and International Cotton Emblems, which promote products made of pure cotton.
A signatory of the Universal Cotton Standards Conference, member of several international cotton organizations (such as CICCA, ECC, IFCP) and the coordinating agency approved by Polish government for cooperation with the ICAC, the GCA is a significant member of the international cotton community. Representing the rights of manufacturers, merchants and consumers of cotton products, the GCA cooperates with governmental bodies and parliamentary committees both in Poland and in the European Union.
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