* EU trade chief has not received proposal to extend duties
* Talks with industry, member states continue until Nov. 3
* Most states, global brands oppose extending duties
By Darren Ennis
BRUSSELS, Oct 15 (Reuters) - The European Union's trade chief said on Thursday she had not yet decided whether to extend anti-dumping duties on EU imports of Chinese and Vietnamese shoes.
According to a document obtained by Reuters on Monday, the EU executive -- which oversees trade policy for the 27-nation bloc -- has proposed extending the tariffs for at least 15 months.
"The truth is I haven't taken any decision yet," Ashton told Reuters.
"What is going on is a discussion with member states and the parties involved on the issues. These are internal discussions which I haven't taken part in yet. The evidence has not yet reached me."
The 15-month proposal has been put forward in the paper by Ashton's services instead of the normal five-year term for what are known as "definitive duties" in an attempt to avert another so-called "shoe war" with member states and further damaging already tense economic relations with China.
The duties of 16.5 percent on Chinese shoes and 10 percent on those made in Vietnam must be approved by a majority of the EU's 27 governments, but most countries oppose extending the duties, diplomats involved in the case told Reuters.
Austria, Belgium, Britain, the Czech Republic, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Ireland, Latvia, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands and Sweden still want the duties scrapped immediately, sending a positive message before the lucrative Christmas retail period, the EU diplomat said.
But major shoe-producing members Italy, Spain, France and Poland want to keep the duties.
Companies and industry bodies affected by the proposal have been given until Nov. 3 to respond before Ashton decides whether to back the move before EU trade officials at a meeting of the bloc's anti-dumping committee later in November, before a full vote by ministers in December.
If approved by member states, the new duties would take effect from Jan. 3, 2010, much to the annoyance of large global footwear producers, major European retailers and consumers across the 27-nation bloc struggling to deal with the worst economic downturn in decades. (Editing by Matthew Jones)