# Official Journal C 130/2023

| | ISSN 1977-091X |
| --- | --- |
| Official Journal
  of the European Union | C 130 |
| | |
| English edition | Information and Notices | Volume 6614 April 2023 |

ISSN 1977-091X

Official Journal

of the European Union

C 130

English edition

Information and Notices

Volume 6614 April 2023

---

| Contents | page |
| --- | --- |
| | II   Information |
| | INFORMATION FROM EUROPEAN UNION INSTITUTIONS, BODIES, OFFICES AND AGENCIES |
| | European Commission |
| 2023/C 130/01 | Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.11031 – HITACHI CONSTRUCTION MACHINERY / KIESEL / EAC) (
  1
  ) | 1 |
| 2023/C 130/02 | Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.11023 – ADP / JCDECAUX / MEDIA AEROPORTS DE PARIS JV) (
  1
  ) | 2 |
| 2023/C 130/03 | Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.11023 – ADP / JCDECAUX / MEDIA AEROPORTS DE PARIS JV) (
  1
  ) | 3 |

Contents

page

II   Information

INFORMATION FROM EUROPEAN UNION INSTITUTIONS, BODIES, OFFICES AND AGENCIES

European Commission

2023/C 130/01

Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.11031 – HITACHI CONSTRUCTION MACHINERY / KIESEL / EAC) (
  1
  )

1

1

2023/C 130/02

Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.11023 – ADP / JCDECAUX / MEDIA AEROPORTS DE PARIS JV) (
  1
  )

1

2

2023/C 130/03

Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.11023 – ADP / JCDECAUX / MEDIA AEROPORTS DE PARIS JV) (
  1
  )

1

3

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| | IV   Notices |
| --- | --- |
| | NOTICES FROM EUROPEAN UNION INSTITUTIONS, BODIES, OFFICES AND AGENCIES |
| | Council |
| 2023/C 130/04 | Notice for the attention of the natural and legal persons, entities and bodies subject to the restrictive measures provided for in Council Decision 2014/145/CFSP, as amended by Council Decision (CFSP) 2023/756, and Council Regulation (EU) No 269/2014, as implemented by Council Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/755 concerning restrictive measures in respect of actions undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine | 4 |
| 2023/C 130/05 | Notice for the attention of the natural and legal persons, entities and bodies subject to the restrictive measures provided for in Council Decision 2014/145/CFSP, as amended by Council Decision (CFSP) 2023/756, and Council Regulation (EU) No 269/2014 as implemented by Council Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/755 concerning restrictive measures in respect of actions undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine | 6 |
| | European Commission |
| 2023/C 130/06 | Euro exchange rates – 13 April 2023 | 7 |

IV   Notices

NOTICES FROM EUROPEAN UNION INSTITUTIONS, BODIES, OFFICES AND AGENCIES

Council

2023/C 130/04

Notice for the attention of the natural and legal persons, entities and bodies subject to the restrictive measures provided for in Council Decision 2014/145/CFSP, as amended by Council Decision (CFSP) 2023/756, and Council Regulation (EU) No 269/2014, as implemented by Council Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/755 concerning restrictive measures in respect of actions undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine

4

2023/C 130/05

Notice for the attention of the natural and legal persons, entities and bodies subject to the restrictive measures provided for in Council Decision 2014/145/CFSP, as amended by Council Decision (CFSP) 2023/756, and Council Regulation (EU) No 269/2014 as implemented by Council Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/755 concerning restrictive measures in respect of actions undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine

6

European Commission

2023/C 130/06

Euro exchange rates – 13 April 2023

7

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| | V   Announcements |
| --- | --- |
| | PROCEDURES RELATING TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE COMMON COMMERCIAL POLICY |
| | European Commission |
| 2023/C 130/07 | Notice of initiation of an expiry review of the anti-dumping measures applicable to imports of steel ropes and cables originating in the People’s Republic of China | 8 |
| | OTHER ACTS |
| | European Commission |
| 2023/C 130/08 | Publication of an application for registration of a name pursuant to Article 50(2)(a) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council on quality schemes for agricultural products and foodstuffs | 20 |

V   Announcements

PROCEDURES RELATING TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE COMMON COMMERCIAL POLICY

European Commission

2023/C 130/07

Notice of initiation of an expiry review of the anti-dumping measures applicable to imports of steel ropes and cables originating in the People’s Republic of China

8

OTHER ACTS

European Commission

2023/C 130/08

Publication of an application for registration of a name pursuant to Article 50(2)(a) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council on quality schemes for agricultural products and foodstuffs

20

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| | |
| --- | --- |
| | (1)   Text with EEA relevance. |

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(1)   Text with EEA relevance.

1

| EN | |
| --- | --- |

EN

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II Information

INFORMATION FROM EUROPEAN UNION INSTITUTIONS, BODIES, OFFICES AND AGENCIES

European Commission

| 14.4.2023 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | C 130/1 |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |

14.4.2023

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 130/1

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Non-opposition to a notified concentration

(Case M.11031 – HITACHI CONSTRUCTION MACHINERY / KIESEL / EAC)

(Text with EEA relevance)

(2023/C 130/01)

On 30 March 2023, the Commission decided not to oppose the above notified concentration and to declare it compatible with the internal market. This decision is based on Article 6(1)(b) of Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 (1). The full text of the decision is available only in English and will be made public after it is cleared of any business secrets it may contain. It will be available:

| — | in the merger section of the ‘Competition policy’ website of the Commission (http://ec.europa.eu/competition/mergers/cases/). This website provides various facilities to help locate individual merger decisions, including company, case number, date and sectoral indexes, |
| --- | --- |

—

in the merger section of the ‘Competition policy’ website of the Commission (http://ec.europa.eu/competition/mergers/cases/). This website provides various facilities to help locate individual merger decisions, including company, case number, date and sectoral indexes,

| — | in electronic form on the EUR-Lex website (http://eur-lex.europa.eu/homepage.html?locale=en) under document number 32023M11031. EUR-Lex is the online point of access to European Union law. |
| --- | --- |

—

in electronic form on the EUR-Lex website (http://eur-lex.europa.eu/homepage.html?locale=en) under document number 32023M11031. EUR-Lex is the online point of access to European Union law.

---

(1)  OJ L 24, 29.1.2004, p. 1.

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| 14.4.2023 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | C 130/2 |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |

14.4.2023

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 130/2

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Non-opposition to a notified concentration

(Case M.11023 – ADP / JCDECAUX / MEDIA AEROPORTS DE PARIS JV)

(Text with EEA relevance)

(2023/C 130/02)

On 30 March 2023, the Commission decided not to oppose the above notified concentration and to declare it compatible with the internal market. This decision is based on Article 6(1)(b) of Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 (1). The full text of the decision is available only in French and will be made public after it is cleared of any business secrets it may contain. It will be available:

| — | in the merger section of the ‘Competition policy’ website of the Commission (http://ec.europa.eu/competition/mergers/cases/). This website provides various facilities to help locate individual merger decisions, including company, case number, date and sectoral indexes, |
| --- | --- |

—

in the merger section of the ‘Competition policy’ website of the Commission (http://ec.europa.eu/competition/mergers/cases/). This website provides various facilities to help locate individual merger decisions, including company, case number, date and sectoral indexes,

| — | in electronic form on the EUR-Lex website (http://eur-lex.europa.eu/homepage.html?locale=en) under document number 32023M11023. EUR-Lex is the online point of access to European Union law. |
| --- | --- |

—

in electronic form on the EUR-Lex website (http://eur-lex.europa.eu/homepage.html?locale=en) under document number 32023M11023. EUR-Lex is the online point of access to European Union law.

---

(1)  OJ L 24, 29.1.2004, p. 1.

---

| 14.4.2023 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | C 130/3 |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |

14.4.2023

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 130/3

---

Non-opposition to a notified concentration

(Case M.11023 – ADP / JCDECAUX / MEDIA AEROPORTS DE PARIS JV)

(Text with EEA relevance)

(2023/C 130/03)

On 30 March 2023, the Commission decided not to oppose the above notified concentration and to declare it compatible with the internal market. This decision is based on Article 6(1)(b) of Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 (1). The full text of the decision is available only in French and will be made public after it is cleared of any business secrets it may contain. It will be available:

| — | in the merger section of the ‘Competition policy’ website of the Commission (http://ec.europa.eu/competition/mergers/cases/). This website provides various facilities to help locate individual merger decisions, including company, case number, date and sectoral indexes, |
| --- | --- |

—

in the merger section of the ‘Competition policy’ website of the Commission (http://ec.europa.eu/competition/mergers/cases/). This website provides various facilities to help locate individual merger decisions, including company, case number, date and sectoral indexes,

| — | in electronic form on the EUR-Lex website (http://eur-lex.europa.eu/homepage.html?locale=en) under document number 32023M11023. EUR-Lex is the online point of access to European Union law. |
| --- | --- |

—

in electronic form on the EUR-Lex website (http://eur-lex.europa.eu/homepage.html?locale=en) under document number 32023M11023. EUR-Lex is the online point of access to European Union law.

---

(1)  OJ L 24, 29.1.2004, p. 1.

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IV Notices

NOTICES FROM EUROPEAN UNION INSTITUTIONS, BODIES, OFFICES AND AGENCIES

Council

| 14.4.2023 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | C 130/4 |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |

14.4.2023

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 130/4

---

Notice for the attention of the natural and legal persons, entities and bodies subject to the restrictive measures provided for in Council Decision 2014/145/CFSP, as amended by Council Decision (CFSP) 2023/756, and Council Regulation (EU) No 269/2014, as implemented by Council Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/755 concerning restrictive measures in respect of actions undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine

(2023/C 130/04)

The following information is brought to the attention of the persons, entities and bodies that appear in the Annex to Council Decision 2014/145/CFSP (1), as amended by Council Decision (CFSP) 2023/756 (2), and in Annex I to Council Regulation (EU) No 269/2014 (3), as implemented by Council Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/755 (4) concerning restrictive measures in respect of actions undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine.

The Council of the European Union has decided that those persons, entities and bodies should be included on the list of persons, entities and bodies subject to restrictive measures provided for in Decision 2014/145/CFSP and in Regulation (EU) No 269/2014 concerning restrictive measures in respect of actions undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine. The grounds for the designation of those persons, entities and bodies appear in the relevant entries in those Annexes.

The attention of those persons, entities and bodies is drawn to the possibility of making an application to the competent authorities of the relevant Member State(s) as indicated in the websites in Annex II to Regulation (EU) No 269/2014, in order to obtain an authorisation to use frozen funds for basic needs or specific payments (cf. Article 4 of the Regulation).

The persons, entities and bodies concerned may submit a request to the Council, together with supporting documentation, that the decision to include them on the above-mentioned list should be reconsidered, to the following address before 1 June 2023.

| Council of the European Union |
| --- |
| General Secretariat |
| RELEX.1 |
| Rue de la Loi/Wetstraat 175 |
| 1048 Bruxelles/Brussel |
| BELGIQUE/BELGIË |
| Email: sanctions@consilium.europa.eu |

Council of the European Union

General Secretariat

RELEX.1

Rue de la Loi/Wetstraat 175

1048 Bruxelles/Brussel

BELGIQUE/BELGIË

Email: sanctions@consilium.europa.eu

The attention of the persons, entities and bodies concerned is also drawn to the possibility of challenging the Council’s decision before the General Court of the European Union, in accordance with the conditions laid down in Article 275, second paragraph, and Article 263, fourth and sixth paragraphs, of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.

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(1)  OJ L 78, 17.3.2014, p. 16.

(2)  OJ L 100 I, 13.4.2023, p. 4.

(3)  OJ L 78, 17.3.2014, p. 6.

(4)  OJ L 100 I, 13.4.2023, p. 1.

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| 14.4.2023 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | C 130/6 |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |

14.4.2023

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 130/6

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Notice for the attention of the natural and legal persons, entities and bodies subject to the restrictive measures provided for in Council Decision 2014/145/CFSP, as amended by Council Decision (CFSP) 2023/756, and Council Regulation (EU) No 269/2014 as implemented by Council Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/755 concerning restrictive measures in respect of actions undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine

(2023/C 130/05)

The following information is brought to the attention of the persons, entities and bodies that appear in the Annex to Council Decision 2014/145/CFSP (1), as amended by Council Decision (CFSP) 2023/756 (2), and in Annex I to Council Regulation (EU) No 269/2014 (3) as implemented by Council Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/755 (4) concerning restrictive measures in respect of actions undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine.

Article 9(2) of Regulation (EU) No 269/2014 requires that those persons, entities or bodies must report, before 1 September 2022 or within 6 weeks from the date of listing in Annex I, whichever is latest, funds or economic resources within the jurisdiction of a Member State belonging to, owned, held or controlled by them, to the competent authority of the Member State where those funds or economic resources are located. They must cooperate with the national competent authority in any verification of such information. Failure to comply with these obligations will be considered as circumvention of the measures on the freezing of funds and of economic resources.

The information to be reported must be sent to the competent authority of the relevant Member State, via its website as indicated in Annex II to Regulation (EU) No 269/2014 (5).

---

(1)  OJ L 78, 17.3.2014, p. 16.

(2)  OJ L 100 I, 13.4.2023 p. 4.

(3)  OJ L 78, 17.3.2014, p. 6.

(4)  OJ L 100 I, 13.4.2023 p. 1.

(5)  Last consolidated version available at EUR-Lex - 02014R0269-20230225 - FR - EUR-Lex (europa.eu)

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European Commission

| 14.4.2023 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | C 130/7 |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |

14.4.2023

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 130/7

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Euro exchange rates (1)

13 April 2023

(2023/C 130/06)

1 euro =

| | Currency | Exchange rate |
| --- | --- | --- |
| USD | US dollar | 1,1015 |
| JPY | Japanese yen | 146,81 |
| DKK | Danish krone | 7,4509 |
| GBP | Pound sterling | 0,88058 |
| SEK | Swedish krona | 11,3886 |
| CHF | Swiss franc | 0,9804 |
| ISK | Iceland króna | 149,10 |
| NOK | Norwegian krone | 11,4570 |
| BGN | Bulgarian lev | 1,9558 |
| CZK | Czech koruna | 23,271 |
| HUF | Hungarian forint | 374,55 |
| PLN | Polish zloty | 4,6320 |
| RON | Romanian leu | 4,9435 |
| TRY | Turkish lira | 21,2912 |
| AUD | Australian dollar | 1,6343 |
| CAD | Canadian dollar | 1,4759 |
| HKD | Hong Kong dollar | 8,6468 |
| NZD | New Zealand dollar | 1,7624 |
| SGD | Singapore dollar | 1,4592 |
| KRW | South Korean won | 1 441,15 |
| ZAR | South African rand | 19,9710 |
| CNY | Chinese yuan renminbi | 7,5758 |
| IDR | Indonesian rupiah | 16 224,93 |
| MYR | Malaysian ringgit | 4,8466 |
| PHP | Philippine peso | 60,972 |
| RUB | Russian rouble | |
| THB | Thai baht | 37,548 |
| BRL | Brazilian real | 5,4117 |
| MXN | Mexican peso | 19,9235 |
| INR | Indian rupee | 90,1665 |

Currency

Exchange rate

USD

US dollar

1,1015

JPY

Japanese yen

146,81

DKK

Danish krone

7,4509

GBP

Pound sterling

0,88058

SEK

Swedish krona

11,3886

CHF

Swiss franc

0,9804

ISK

Iceland króna

149,10

NOK

Norwegian krone

11,4570

BGN

Bulgarian lev

1,9558

CZK

Czech koruna

23,271

HUF

Hungarian forint

374,55

PLN

Polish zloty

4,6320

RON

Romanian leu

4,9435

TRY

Turkish lira

21,2912

AUD

Australian dollar

1,6343

CAD

Canadian dollar

1,4759

HKD

Hong Kong dollar

8,6468

NZD

New Zealand dollar

1,7624

SGD

Singapore dollar

1,4592

KRW

South Korean won

1 441,15

ZAR

South African rand

19,9710

CNY

Chinese yuan renminbi

7,5758

IDR

Indonesian rupiah

16 224,93

MYR

Malaysian ringgit

4,8466

PHP

Philippine peso

60,972

RUB

Russian rouble

THB

Thai baht

37,548

BRL

Brazilian real

5,4117

MXN

Mexican peso

19,9235

INR

Indian rupee

90,1665

---

(1)  Source: reference exchange rate published by the ECB.

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V Announcements

PROCEDURES RELATING TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE COMMON COMMERCIAL POLICY

European Commission

| 14.4.2023 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | C 130/8 |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |

14.4.2023

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 130/8

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Notice of initiation of an expiry review of the anti-dumping measures applicable to imports of steel ropes and cables originating in the People’s Republic of China

(2023/C 130/07)

Following the publication of a Notice of impending expiry (1) of the anti-dumping measures in force on the imports of steel ropes and cables originating in the People’s Republic of China (‘the country concerned’ or ‘the PRC’), the European Commission ('the Commission') has received a request for review pursuant to Article 11(2) of Regulation (EU) 2016/1036 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 8 June 2016 on protection against dumped imports from countries not members of the European Union (2) ('the basic Regulation').

1.   Request for review

The request was submitted on 17 January 2023 by the European Federation of Steel Wire Rope Industries ('the applicant') on behalf of the Union industry of steel ropes and cables in the sense of Article 5(4) of the basic Regulation.

An open version of the request and the analysis of the degree of support by Union producers for the request are available in the file for inspection by interested parties. Section 5.6 of this Notice provides information about access to the file for interested parties.

2.   Product under review

The product subject to this review is steel ropes and cables including locked coil ropes, excluding ropes and cables of stainless steel, with a maximum cross-sectional dimension exceeding 3 mm ('the product under review'), currently falling under CN codes ex 7312 10 81, ex 7312 10 83, ex 7312 10 85, ex 7312 10 89 and ex 7312 10 98 (TARIC codes 7312108112, 7312108113, 7312108119, 7312108312, 7312108313, 7312108319, 7312108512, 7312108513, 7312108519, 7312108912, 7312108913, 7312108919, 7312109812, 7312109813 and 7312109819). The CN and TARIC codes are given for information only.

3.   Existing measures

The measures currently in force are a definitive anti-dumping duty imposed on imports from the PRC by Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/607, (3) and extended to imports consigned from Morocco and the Republic of Korea whether declared as originating in these countries or not.

4.   Grounds for the review

The request is based on the grounds that the expiry of the measures would be likely to result in continuation or recurrence of dumping and recurrence of injury to the Union industry.

4.1.   
  Allegation of likelihood of continuation or recurrence of dumping

The applicant claimed that it is not appropriate to use domestic prices and costs in the PRC, due to the existence of significant distortions within the meaning of point (b) of Article 2(6a) of the basic Regulation.

To substantiate the allegations of significant distortions, the applicant relied on the information contained in the country report produced by the Commission services on 20 December 2017 describing the specific market circumstances in the PRC (4). In particular, the applicant referred to distortions as state presence in general and more specific affecting the steel sector and to chapters on general distortions of energy, land, access to finance and labour. In addition, the applicant also provided supporting evidence in the request by referring to the 13th Five Year Plan for the Economic and Social Development of the People's Republic of China (2016-2020) and the 14th Five Year Plan for the National Economic and Social Development of the People's Republic of China and the Outline of the Long-term Goals for 2035 (2021-2025), which promote the steel industry and consequently the downstream steel ropes and cables industry. Reference is also made to the Made in China 2025 initiative, under which the steel industry overall, including the steel ropes and cables industry, is an encouraged industry; to the Guiding Catalogue for Industry restructuring (2019 Version), which also lists steel as an encouraged industry and to other plans adopted by the Government of China to promote domestic industries and production, where the steel/steel ropes and cables industry features prominently (i.e. the 2021 14th Five Year Plan on Developing the Raw Material Industry, Decision No. 40 on Promulgating and Implementing the 'Temporary Provisions on Promoting Industrial Structure Adjustment' etc.).

As a result, in view of Article 2(6a)(a) of the basic Regulation, the allegation of continuation or recurrence of dumping from the PRC is based on a comparison of a constructed normal value on the basis of costs of production and sale reflecting undistorted prices or benchmarks in an appropriate representative country with a) the export price (at ex-works level) of the product under review from the country concerned when sold for export to the Union and b) with the export price (at ex-works level) of the product under review when sold for export to third countries, in view of the low import volumes from the PRC to the Union.

On this basis, the dumping margin calculated is significant. In addition, the price comparison in b) show that the export price to third countries is significantly lower than the normal value, suggesting that if measures were allowed to lapse, imports from the PRC would come to the Union at dumped prices.

4.2.   
  Allegation of likelihood of recurrence of injury

The applicant alleges the likelihood of recurrence of injury from the PRC. In this respect the applicant has provided sufficient evidence that, should measures be allowed to lapse, the current import level of the product under review from the PRC to the Union is likely to increase due to the existence of unused capacity in the PRC, the inability of third country markets to absorb the unused capacity due to, inter alia, trade defence measures against imports of the product under review from the PRC. The applicant also provided sufficient evidence that PRC exporters are currently selling the product under review at significantly low prices in third markets, at much lower prices than those prevailing in the EU market, showing that the EU market is an attractive market for PRC exporters pricewise.

The applicant finally alleges that the removal of injury has been mainly due to the existence of measures and that any recurrence of substantial imports at dumped prices from the PRC would likely lead to a recurrence of injury to the Union industry, should measures be allowed to lapse.

5.   Procedure

Having determined, after consulting the Committee established by Article 15(1) of the basic Regulation, that sufficient evidence of a likelihood of dumping (5) and injury exists to justify the initiation of an expiry review, the Commission hereby initiates a review in accordance with Article 11(2) of the basic Regulation.

The expiry review will determine whether the expiry of the measures would be likely to lead to a continuation or recurrence of dumping of the product under review originating in the PRC and a continuation or recurrence of injury to the Union industry.

The Commission also draws the attention of the parties to the published Notice (6) on the consequences of the COVID-19 outbreak on anti-dumping and anti-subsidy investigations that may be applicable to this proceeding.

5.1.   
  Review investigation period and period considered

The investigation of a continuation or recurrence of dumping will cover the period from 1 January 2022 to 31 December 2022 (‘the review investigation period’). The examination of trends relevant for the assessment of the likelihood of a continuation or recurrence of injury will cover the period from 1 January 2019 to the end of the review investigation period (‘the period considered’).

5.2.   
  Comments on the request and the initiation of the investigation

All interested parties wishing to comment on the request (including matters pertaining to recurrence of injury and causality) or any aspects regarding the initiation of the investigation (including the degree of support for the request) must do so within 37 days of the date of publication of this Notice in the Official Journal of the European Union (7).

Any request for a hearing with regard to the initiation of the investigation must be submitted within 15 days of the date of publication of this Notice.

5.3.   
  Procedure for the determination of a likelihood of continuation or recurrence of dumping

In an expiry review, the Commission examines exports that were made to the Union in the review investigation period and, irrespective of exports to the Union, considers whether the situation of the companies producing and selling the product under review in the country concerned is such that exports at dumped prices to the Union would be likely to continue or recur if measures expire.

Therefore, all producers (8) of the product under review from the country concerned, including those that did not cooperate in the investigation(s) leading to the measures in force, are invited to participate in the Commission investigation.

5.3.1.   Investigating producers in the country concerned

In view of the potentially large number of producers in the PRC involved in this expiry review and in order to complete the investigation within the statutory time limits, the Commission may limit the producers to be investigated to a reasonable number by selecting a sample (this process is also referred to as 'sampling'). The sampling will be carried out in accordance with Article 17 of the basic Regulation.

In order to enable the Commission to decide whether sampling is necessary, and if so, to select a sample, all producers, or representatives acting on their behalf, including the ones who did not cooperate in the investigation leading to the measures subject to the present review, are hereby requested to provide the Commission with information on their companies within 7 days of the date of publication of this Notice. This information must be provided via TRON.tdi at the following address: https://tron.trade.ec.europa.eu/tron/tdi/form/R793_SAMPLING_FORM_FOR_EXPORTING_PRODUCER. Tron access information can be found in sections 5.6 and 5.9 below.

In order to obtain the information it deems necessary for the selection of the sample of producers, the Commission will also contact the authorities of the PRC and may contact any known associations of producers in the country concerned.

If a sample is necessary, the producers will be selected based on the largest representative volume of production, sales or exports which can reasonably be investigated within the time available. All known producers in the PRC, the authorities of the country concerned and associations of producers will be notified by the Commission, via the authorities of the country concerned if appropriate, of the companies selected to be in the sample.

Once the Commission has received the necessary information to select a sample of producers, it will inform the parties concerned of its decision whether they are included in the sample. The sampled producers will have to submit a completed questionnaire within 30 days from the date of notification of the decision of their inclusion in the sample, unless otherwise specified.

The Commission will add a note to the file for inspection by interested parties reflecting the sample selection. Any comment on the sample selection must be received within 3 days of the date of notification of the sample decision.

A copy of the questionnaire for producers in the country concerned is available in the file for inspection by interested parties and on DG Trade's website https://tron.trade.ec.europa.eu/investigations/case-view?caseId=2660

Without prejudice to the possible application of Article 18 of the basic Regulation, companies that have agreed to their possible inclusion in the sample but are not selected to be in the sample will be considered to be cooperating.

5.3.2.   Additional procedure with regard to the PRC that is subject to significant distortions

Subject to the provisions of this Notice, all interested parties are hereby invited to make their views known, submit information and provide supporting evidence regarding the application of Article 2(6a) of the basic Regulation. Unless otherwise specified, this information and supporting evidence must reach the Commission within 37 days of the date of publication of this Notice.

In particular, the Commission invites all interested parties to make their views known on the inputs and the Harmonised System (HS) codes provided in the request (9), propose (an) appropriate representative country(ies) and provide the identity of producers of the product under review in those countries. This information and supporting evidence must reach the Commission within 15 days of the date of publication of this Notice.

Pursuant to point (e) of Article 2(6a) of the basic Regulation, the Commission will, shortly after initiation, by means of a note to the file for inspection by interested parties, inform parties to the investigation about the relevant sources that it intends to use for the purpose of determining normal value in the PRC pursuant to Article 2(6a) of the basic Regulation. This will cover all sources, including the selection of an appropriate representative third country where appropriate. Parties to the investigation shall be given 10 days from the date at which that note is added to that file to submit comments.

According to the information available to the Commission, possible representative third country for the PRC in this case is Türkiye. With the aim of finally selecting the appropriate representative third country, the Commission will examine whether there are countries with a similar level of economic development as the PRC, in which there is production and sales of the product under review and in which relevant data are readily available. Where there is more than one such country, preference will be given, where appropriate, to countries with an adequate level of social and environmental protection.

With regard to the relevant sources, the Commission invites all producers in the PRC to provide information on the materials (raw and processed) and energy used in the production of the product under review within 15 days of the date of publication of this Notice. This information must be provided via TRON.tdi at the following address: https://tron.trade.ec.europa.eu/tron/tdi/form/R793_INFO_ON_INPUTS_FOR_EXPORTING_PRODUCER_FORM. Tron access information can be found in sections 5.6 and 5.9 below.

Furthermore, any submissions of factual information to value costs and prices pursuant to point (a) of Article 2(6a) of the basic Regulation must be filed within 65 days of the date of publication of this Notice. Such factual information should be taken exclusively from publicly available sources.

In order to obtain the information it deems necessary for its investigation with regard to the alleged significant distortions within the meaning of point (b) of Article 2(6a) of the basic Regulation, the Commission will also make available a questionnaire to the Government of the PRC.

5.3.3.   Investigating unrelated importers (10) (11)

Unrelated importers of the product under review from the PRC to the Union, including those that did not cooperate in the investigation leading to the measures in force, are invited to participate in this investigation.

In view of the potentially large number of unrelated importers involved in this expiry review and in order to complete the investigation within the statutory time limits, the Commission may limit to a reasonable number the unrelated importers that will be investigated by selecting a sample (this process is also referred to as 'sampling'). The sampling will be carried out in accordance with Article 17 of the basic Regulation.

In order to enable the Commission to decide whether sampling is necessary and, if so, to select a sample, all unrelated importers, or representatives acting on their behalf, including the ones who did not cooperate in the investigation leading to the measures subject to the present review, are hereby requested to make themselves known to the Commission. These parties must do so within 7 days of the date of publication of this Notice by providing the Commission with the information on their company(ies) requested in the Annex to this Notice.

In order to obtain information it deems necessary for the selection of the sample of unrelated importers, the Commission may also contact any known associations of importers.

If a sample is necessary, the importers may be selected based on the largest representative volume of sales of the product under review from the People’s Republic of China in the Union that can reasonably be investigated within the time available. All known unrelated importers and associations of importers will be notified by the Commission of the companies selected to be in the sample.

The Commission will also add a note to the file for inspection by interested parties reflecting the sample selection. Any comment on the sample selection must be received within 3 days of the date of notification of the sample decision.

In order to obtain the information it deems necessary for its investigation, the Commission will make available questionnaires to the sampled unrelated importers. Those parties must submit a completed questionnaire within 30 days from the date of the notification of the sample selection, unless otherwise specified.

A copy of the questionnaire for unrelated importers is available in the file for inspection by interested parties and on DG Trade's website https://tron.trade.ec.europa.eu/investigations/case-view?caseId=2660

5.4.   
  Procedure for the determination of a likelihood of a continuation or recurrence of injury and investigating Union producers

In order to establish whether there is a likelihood of a continuation or recurrence of injury to the Union industry, the Commission invites Union producers of the product under review to participate in the investigation.

In view of the large number of Union producers involved in this expiry review and in order to complete the investigation within the statutory time limits, the Commission has decided to limit to a reasonable number the Union producers that will be investigated by selecting a sample (this process is also referred to as 'sampling'). The sampling is carried out in accordance with Article 17 of the basic Regulation.

The Commission has provisionally selected a sample of Union producers. Details can be found in the file for inspection by interested parties.

Interested parties are hereby invited to comment on the provisional sample. In addition, other Union producers, or representatives acting on their behalf, including Union producers who did not cooperate in the investigation(s) leading to the measures in force, that consider that there are reasons why they should be included in the sample must contact the Commission within 7 days of the date of publication of this Notice. All comments regarding the provisional sample must be received within 7 days of the date of publication of this Notice, unless otherwise specified.

The Commission will notify all known Union producers and/or associations of Union producers of the companies finally selected to be in the sample.

The sampled Union producers will have to submit a completed questionnaire within 30 days from the date of notification of the decision of their inclusion in the sample, unless otherwise specified.

A copy of the questionnaire for Union producers is available in the file for inspection by interested parties and on DG Trade's website https://tron.trade.ec.europa.eu/investigations/case-view?caseId=2660

5.5.   
  Procedure for the assessment of Union interest

Should the likelihood of continuation or recurrence of dumping and injury be confirmed, a decision will be reached, pursuant to Article 21 of the basic Regulation, as to whether maintaining the anti-dumping measures would not be against the Union interest.

Union producers, importers and their representative associations, users and their representative associations, trade unions and representative consumer organisations are invited to provide the Commission with information on the Union interest.

Information concerning the assessment of the Union interest must be provided within 37 days of the date of publication of this Notice, unless otherwise specified. This information may be provided either in a free format or by completing a questionnaire prepared by the Commission.

A copy of the questionnaires, including the questionnaire for users of the product under review, is available in the file for inspection by interested parties and on DG Trade's website https://tron.trade.ec.europa.eu/investigations/case-view?caseId=2660

In any case, information submitted pursuant to Article 21 of the basic Regulation will only be taken into account if supported by factual evidence at the time of submission, which substantiates its validity.

5.6.   
  Interested parties

In order to participate in the investigation, interested parties, such as producers in the country concerned, Union producers, importers and their representative associations, users and their representative associations, trade unions and representative consumer organisations first have to demonstrate that there is an objective link between their activities and the product under review.

Producers in the country concerned, Union producers, importers and representative associations who made information available in accordance to the procedures described in sections 5.3.1, 5.3.3 and 5.4 will be considered as interested parties if there is an objective link between their activities and the product under review.

Other parties will only be able to participate in the investigation as interested party from the moment they make themselves known, and provided that there is an objective link between their activities and the product under review. Being considered as an interested party is without prejudice to the application of Article 18 of the basic Regulation.

Access to the file available for inspection for interested parties is made via Tron.tdi at the following address: https://tron.trade.ec.europa.eu/tron/TDI. Please follow the instructions on that page to get access (12).

5.7.   
  Other written submissions

Subject to the provisions of this Notice, all interested parties are hereby invited to make their views known, submit information and provide supporting evidence. Unless otherwise specified, this information and supporting evidence must reach the Commission within 37 days of the date of publication of this Notice.

5.8.   
  Possibility to be heard by the Commission investigation services

All interested parties may request to be heard by the Commission investigation services. Any request to be heard must be made in writing and must specify the reasons for the request as well as a summary of what the interested party wishes to discuss during the hearing. The hearing will be limited to the issues set out by the interested parties in writing beforehand.

In principle, hearings will not be used to present factual information which is not yet on file. Nevertheless, in the interest of good administration and to enable Commission services to progress with the investigation, interested parties may be directed to provide new factual information after a hearing.

5.9.   
  Instructions for making written submissions and sending completed questionnaires and correspondence

Information submitted to the Commission for the purpose of trade defence investigations shall be free from copyrights. Interested parties, before submitting to the Commission information and/or data which is subject to third party copyrights, must request specific permission to the copyright holder explicitly allowing the Commission a) to use the information and data for the purpose of this trade defence proceeding and b) to provide the information and/or data to interested parties to this investigation in a form that allows them to exercise their rights of defence.

All written submissions, including the information requested in this Notice, completed questionnaires and correspondence provided by interested parties for which confidential treatment is requested shall be labelled ‘Sensitive’ (13). Parties submitting information in the course of this investigation are invited to reason their request for confidential treatment.

Parties providing ‘Sensitive’ information are required to furnish non-confidential summaries of it pursuant to Article 19(2) of the basic Regulation, which will be labelled 'For inspection by interested parties'. These summaries must be sufficiently detailed to permit a reasonable understanding of the substance of the information submitted in confidence. If a party providing confidential information fails to show good cause for a confidential treatment request or does not furnish a non-confidential summary of it in the requested format and quality, the Commission may disregard such information unless it can be satisfactorily demonstrated from appropriate sources that the information is correct.

Interested parties are invited to make all submissions and requests via TRON.tdi (https://tron.trade.ec.europa.eu/tron/TDI) including requests to be registered as interested parties, scanned powers of attorney and certification sheets. By using TRON.tdi or email, interested parties express their agreement with the rules applicable to electronic submissions contained in the document ‘CORRESPONDENCE WITH THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION IN TRADE DEFENCE CASES’ published on the website of the Directorate-General for Trade: https://europa.eu/!7tHpY3. The interested parties must indicate their name, address, telephone and a valid email address and they should ensure that the provided email address is a functioning official business email which is checked on a daily basis. Once contact details are provided, the Commission will communicate with interested parties by TRON.tdi or email only, unless they explicitly request to receive all documents from the Commission by another means of communication or unless the nature of the document to be sent requires the use of a registered mail. For further rules and information concerning correspondence with the Commission including principles that apply to submissions via TRON.tdi and by email, interested parties should consult the communication instructions with interested parties referred to above.

Commission address for correspondence:

| European Commission |
| --- |
| Directorate-General for Trade |
| Directorate G |
| Office: CHAR 04/039 |
| 1049 Bruxelles/Brussel |
| BELGIQUE/BELGIË |

European Commission

Directorate-General for Trade

Directorate G

Office: CHAR 04/039

1049 Bruxelles/Brussel

BELGIQUE/BELGIË

TRON.tdi: https://tron.trade.ec.europa.eu/tron/tdi

| Email: | TRADE-R793-SRC-DUMPING@ec.europa.eu
  TRADE-R793-SRC-INJURY@ec.europa.eu |
| --- | --- |

Email:

TRADE-R793-SRC-INJURY@ec.europa.eu

6.   Schedule of the investigation

The investigation shall normally be concluded within 12 months and in any event no later than 15 months from the date of the publication of this Notice, pursuant to Article 11(5) of the basic Regulation.

7.   Submission of information

As a rule, interested parties may only submit information in the timeframes specified in section 5 of this Notice.

In order to complete the investigation within the mandatory deadlines, the Commission will not accept submissions from interested parties after the deadline to provide comments on the final disclosure or, if applicable, after the deadline to provide comments on the additional final disclosure.

8.   Possibility to comment on other parties’ submissions

In order to guarantee the rights of defence, interested parties should have the possibility to comment on information submitted by other interested parties. When doing so, interested parties may only address issues raised in the other interested parties' submissions and may not raise new issues.

Comments on the information provided by other interested parties in reaction to the disclosure of the definitive findings should be submitted within 5 days from the deadline to comment on the definitive findings, unless otherwise specified. If there is an additional final disclosure, comments on the information provided by other interested parties in reaction to this further disclosure should be made within 1 day from the deadline to comment on this further disclosure, unless otherwise specified.

The outlined timeframe is without prejudice to the Commission's right to request additional information from interested parties in duly justified cases.

9.   Extension to time limits specified in this Notice

Any extension to the time limits provided for in this Notice should only be requested in exceptional circumstances and will only be granted if duly justified. In any event, any extensions to the deadline to reply to questionnaires will be limited normally to 3 days, and as a rule will not exceed 7 days. Regarding time limits for the submission of other information specified in the Notice of initiation, extensions will be limited to 3 days unless exceptional circumstances are demonstrated.

10.   Non-cooperation

In cases where any interested party refuses access to or does not provide the necessary information within the time limits, or significantly impedes the investigation, findings, affirmative or negative, may be made on the basis of facts available, in accordance with Article 18 of the basic Regulation.

Where it is found that any interested party has supplied false or misleading information, the information may be disregarded and use may be made of facts available.

If an interested party does not cooperate or cooperates only partially and findings are therefore based on facts available in accordance with Article 18 of the basic Regulation, the result may be less favourable to that party than if it had cooperated.

Failure to give a computerised response shall not be deemed to constitute non-cooperation, provided that the interested party shows that presenting the response as requested would result in an unreasonable extra burden or unreasonable additional cost. The interested party should immediately contact the Commission.

11.   Hearing Officer

Interested parties may request the intervention of the Hearing Officer in trade proceedings. The Hearing Officer reviews requests for access to the file, disputes regarding the confidentiality of documents, requests for extension of time limits and any other request concerning the rights of defence of interested parties and third parties as may arise during the proceeding.

The Hearing Officer may organise hearings and mediate between the interested party/-ies and Commissions services to ensure that the interested parties' rights of defence are being fully exercised. A request for a hearing with the Hearing Officer should be made in writing and should specify the reasons for the request. The Hearing Officer will examine the reasons for the requests. These hearings should only take place if the issues have not been settled with the Commission services in due course.

Any request must be submitted in good time and expeditiously so as not to jeopardise the orderly conduct of proceedings. To that effect, interested parties should request the intervention of the Hearing Officer at the earliest possible time following the occurrence of the event justifying such intervention. Where hearing requests are submitted outside the relevant timeframes, the Hearing Officer will also examine the reasons for such late requests, the nature of the issues raised and the impact of those issues on the rights of defence, having due regard to the interests of good administration and the timely completion of the investigation.

For further information and contact details interested parties may consult the Hearing Officer's web pages on DG Trade's website: https://policy.trade.ec.europa.eu/contacts/hearing-officer_en

12.   Possibility to request a review under Article 11(3) of the basic Regulation

As this expiry review is initiated in accordance with the provisions of Article 11(2) of the basic Regulation, the findings thereof will not lead to the existing measures being amended but will lead to those measures being repealed or maintained in accordance with Article 11(6) of the basic Regulation.

If any interested party considers that a review of the measures is warranted so as to allow for the possibility to amend the measures, that party may request a review pursuant to Article 11(3) of the basic Regulation.

Parties wishing to request such a review, which would be carried out independently of the expiry review mentioned in this Notice, may contact the Commission at the address given above.

13.   Processing of personal data

Any personal data collected in this investigation will be treated in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2018/1725 of the European Parliament and of the Council (14).

A data protection notice that informs all individuals of the processing of personal data in the framework of Commission’s trade defence activities is available on DG Trade’s website: https://europa.eu/!vr4g9W

---

(1)  OJ C 280, 21.7.2022, p. 23.

(2)  OJ L 176, 30.6.2016, p. 21.

(3)  Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/607 of 19 April 2018 imposing a definitive anti-dumping duty on imports of steel ropes and cables originating in the People's Republic of China as extended to imports of steel ropes and cables consigned from Morocco and the Republic of Korea, whether declared as originating in these countries or not, following an expiry review pursuant to Article 11(2) of Regulation (EU) 2016/1036 of the European Parliament and of the Council (OJ L 101, 20.4.2018, p. 40).

(4)  Commission Staff Working Document, on Significant Distortions in the Economy of the People's Republic of China for the Purposes of Trade Defence Investigations, 20 December 2017, SWD(2017) 483 final/2. The country report is available in the file for inspection by interested parties and on DG Trade’s website (https://trade.ec.europa.eu/doclib/docs/2017/december/tradoc_156474.pdf). Documents cited in the country report may also be obtained upon a duly reasoned request.

(5)  In light of the information available, the Commission considers that there is sufficient evidence pursuant to Article 5(9) of the basic Regulation tending to show that, due to significant distortions affecting prices and costs, the use of domestic prices and costs in the country concerned is inappropriate, thus warranting the initiation of an investigation on the basis of Article 2(6a) of the basic Regulation.

(6)  https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A52020XC0316%2802%29

(7)  All references to the publication of this Notice will be references to publication of this Notice in the Official Journal of the European Union, unless otherwise specified.

(8)  A producer is any company in the country concerned which produces the product under review, including any of its related companies involved in the production, domestic sales or exports of the product under review.

(9)  Information on HS codes is also provided in the executive summary of the review request, which is available on DG Trade's website https://tron.trade.ec.europa.eu/investigations/case-view?caseId=2660.

(10)  Only importers not related to producers in the country concerned can be sampled. Importers that are related to producers have to fill in Annex I to the questionnaire for these producers. In accordance with Article 127 of Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2015/2447 of 24 November 2015 laying down detailed rules for implementing certain provisions of Regulation (EU) No 952/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council laying down the Union Customs Code, two persons shall be deemed to be related if: (a) they are officers or directors of the other person's business; (b) they are legally recognised partners in business; (c) they are employer and employee; (d) a third party directly or indirectly owns, controls or holds 5 % or more of the outstanding voting stock or shares of both of them; (e) one of them directly or indirectly controls the other; (f) both of them are directly or indirectly controlled by a third person; (g) together they control a third person directly or indirectly; or (h) they are members of the same family (OJ L 343, 29.12.2015, p. 558). Persons shall be deemed to be members of the same family only if they stand in any of the following relationships to one another: (i) husband and wife, (ii) parent and child, (iii) brother and sister (whether by whole or half blood), (iv) grandparent and grandchild, (v) uncle or aunt and nephew or niece, (vi) parent-in-law and son-in-law or daughter-in-law, (vii) brother-in-law and sister-in-law. In accordance with Article 5(4) of Regulation (EU) No 952/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council laying down the Union Customs Code, ''person'' means a natural person, a legal person, and any association of persons which is not a legal person but which is recognised under Union or national law as having the capacity to perform legal acts (OJ L 269, 10.10.2013, p. 1).

(11)  The data provided by unrelated importers may also be used in relation to aspects of this investigation other than the determination of dumping.

(12)  In case of technical problems please contact the Trade Service Desk by email trade-service-desk@ec.europa.eu or by telephone +32 22979797.

(13)  A ‘Sensitive’ document is a document which is considered confidential pursuant to Article 19 of the basic Regulation and Article 6 of the WTO Agreement on Implementation of Article VI of the GATT 1994 (Anti-Dumping Agreement). It is also a document protected pursuant to Article 4 of Regulation (EC) No 1049/2001 of the European Parliament and of the Council (OJ L 145, 31.5.2001, p. 43).

(14)  Regulation (EU) 2018/1725 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2018 on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data by the Union institutions, bodies, offices and agencies and on the free movement of such data, and repealing Regulation (EC) No 45/2001 and Decision No 1247/2002/EC (OJ L 295, 21.11.2018, p. 39).

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ANNEX

| ☐ | ‘Sensitive’ version |
| --- | --- |
| ☐ | Version ‘For inspection by interested parties’ |
| (tick the appropriate box) |

☐

‘Sensitive’ version

☐

Version ‘For inspection by interested parties’

(tick the appropriate box)

EXPIRY REVIEW OF THE ANTI-DUMPING MEASURES APPLICABLE TO IMPORTS OF STEEL ROPES AND CABLES ORIGINATING IN THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA

INFORMATION FOR THE SELECTION OF THE SAMPLE OF UNRELATED IMPORTERS

This form is designed to assist unrelated importers in responding to the request for sampling information made in point 5.3.3 of the notice of initiation.

Both the ‘Sensitive’ version and the version ‘For inspection by interested parties’ should be returned to the Commission as set out in the notice of initiation.

1.   IDENTITY AND CONTACT DETAILS

Supply the following details about your company:

| Company name | |
| --- | --- |
| Address | |
| Contact person | |
| Email address | |
| Telephone | |

Company name

Address

Contact person

Email address

Telephone

2.   TURNOVER AND SALES VOLUME

Indicate the total turnover in euros (EUR) of the company, the value in euros (EUR) and volume in tonnes for imports and resales on the Union market after importation from the People's Republic of China during the review investigation period, of the product under review as defined in the notice of initiation.

| | Volume in tonnes | Value in euros (EUR) |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Total turnover of your company in euros (EUR) | | |
| Imports of the product under review originating in the People’s Republic of China | | |
| Imports of the product under review (all origins) | | |
| Resales on the Union market after importation from the People’s Republic of China of the product under review | | |
| | | |

Volume in tonnes

Value in euros (EUR)

Total turnover of your company in euros (EUR)

Imports of the product under review originating in the People’s Republic of China

Imports of the product under review (all origins)

Resales on the Union market after importation from the People’s Republic of China of the product under review

3.   ACTIVITIES OF YOUR COMPANY AND RELATED COMPANIES (1)

Give details of the precise activities of the company and all related companies (please list them and state the relationship to your company) involved in the production and/or selling (export and/or domestic) of the product under review. Such activities could include but are not limited to purchasing the product under review, producing it under sub-contracting arrangements, or processing or trading it.

| Company name and location | Activities | Relationship |
| --- | --- | --- |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |

Company name and location

Activities

Relationship

4.   OTHER INFORMATION

Please provide any other relevant information which the company considers useful to assist the Commission in the selection of the sample.

5.   CERTIFICATION

By providing the above information, the company agrees to its possible inclusion in the sample. If the company is selected to be part of the sample, this will involve completing a questionnaire and accepting a visit at its premises in order to verify its response. If the company indicates that it does not agree to its possible inclusion in the sample, it will be deemed not to have cooperated in the investigation. The Commission's findings for non-cooperating importers are based on the facts available and the result may be less favourable to that company than if it had cooperated.

Signature of authorised official:

Name and title of authorised official:

Date:

---

(1)  In accordance with Article 127 of Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2015/2447 of 24 November 2015 laying down detailed rules for implementing certain provisions of Regulation (EU) No 952/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council laying down the Union Customs Code, two persons shall be deemed to be related if: (a) they are officers or directors of the other person's business; (b) they are legally recognised partners in business; (c) they are employer and employee; (d) a third party directly or indirectly owns, controls or holds 5 % or more of the outstanding voting stock or shares of both of them; (e) one of them directly or indirectly controls the other; (f) both of them are directly or indirectly controlled by a third person; (g) together they control a third person directly or indirectly; or (h) they are members of the same family (OJ L 343, 29.12.2015, p. 558). Persons shall be deemed to be members of the same family only if they stand in any of the following relationships to one another: (i) husband and wife, (ii) parent and child, (iii) brother and sister (whether by whole or half blood), (iv) grandparent and grandchild, (v) uncle or aunt and nephew or niece, (vi) parent-in-law and son-in-law or daughter-in-law, (vii) brother-in-law and sister-in-law. In accordance with Article 5(4) of Regulation (EU) No 952/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council laying down the Union Customs Code, ''person'' means a natural person, a legal person, and any association of persons which is not a legal person but which is recognised under Union or national law as having the capacity to perform legal acts (OJ L 269, 10.10.2013, p. 1).

---

OTHER ACTS

European Commission

| 14.4.2023 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | C 130/20 |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |

14.4.2023

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 130/20

---

Publication of an application for registration of a name pursuant to Article 50(2)(a) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council on quality schemes for agricultural products and foodstuffs

(2023/C 130/08)

This publication confers the right to oppose the application pursuant to Article 51 of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council (1) within three months from the date of this publication.

SINGLE DOCUMENT

’VACA DE EXTREMADURA'

EU No: PGI-ES-02619— 14.7.2020

PDO ( ) PGI (X)

1.   Name [PGI]

’Vaca de Extremadura'

2.   Member State or Third Country

Spain

3.   Description of the agricultural product or foodstuff

3.1.   
  Type of product

Class 1.1. Fresh meat (and offal)

3.2.   
  Description of the product to which the name in (1) applies

Fresh meat and offal from ‘Vaca de Extremadura’ cows, sold as carcasses, half-carcasses, quarters, pieces, fillets and cuts.

The meat is obtained from the main cattle breeds present in Extremadura. These comprise the native breeds Avileña-Negra Ibérica, Retinta, Morucha, Blanca Cacereña, Berrenda en Negro and Berrenda en Colorado, either pure-bred or crossed with one another, as well as the breeds included in the Official Catalogue of Livestock Breeds in Spain under the ‘settled’ category, namely Charolais, Limousin and Blonde d’Aquitaine, and crosses with those breeds.

In terms of age and the production method prior to slaughter, only one type of animal is used:

‘Vaca’ [cow]: female which, at the time of slaughter, is at least 48 months old and has reached reproductive age.

The product’s main characteristics, in terms of its organoleptic qualities, conformation, fat cover and pH, combine to form the following commercial category:

‘Vaca de Extremadura’: the meat is cherry red to purple-red in colour, with creamy white to yellowish fat. It is firm to the touch and slightly moist, with a fine texture and a greater level of intramuscular fat (fine streaks and marbling). It has the aroma of animal fat, is succulent in the mouth and has a deep and long-lasting meaty flavour of beef.

| — | Carcass conformation: classes E, U, R and O. |
| --- | --- |

—

Carcass conformation: classes E, U, R and O.

| — | Degree of fat cover: degrees 4, 3 and 2. |
| --- | --- |

—

Degree of fat cover: degrees 4, 3 and 2.

| — | pH: compliance with the current legislation applicable to quality meats. |
| --- | --- |

—

pH: compliance with the current legislation applicable to quality meats.

The meat must be sold chilled, and must not be frozen at any point during the production or marketing process.

3.3.   
  Feed (for products of animal origin only) and raw materials (for processed products only)

Throughout their productive lives, the cows are fed based on an extensive farming system involving the consumption of grazing fodder making up at least 30 % of the feed (grass, cereals and legumes) and the use of other farm resources such as the dehesa (wooded pastures) and dehesa-style landscapes. If necessary, this may be supplemented with compound feeds and preserved fodder (straw, hay and, in exceptional cases, grain stores).

Given that the condition of the meat on the animals and the degree of fat cover on the carcasses have a positive influence on the quality of the protected ‘Vaca de Extremadura’ meat, a finishing period is recommended before slaughter to complete the fattening process, determined by the time of year.

At least 60 % of the fodder used must come from the geographical area of the PGI.

The use of products made from animal derivatives is expressly prohibited. The compound feeds used must be included in the list of feeds authorised by the Regulatory Board in compliance with the specifications on feed.

3.4.   
  Specific steps in production that must take place in the identified geographical area

The birth, rearing, fattening and slaughter of ‘Vaca de Extremadura’ cows must take place in the defined geographical area in order to preserve the specific nature of the product and to control production conditions and traceability.

3.5.   
  Specific rules concerning slicing, grating, packaging, etc. of the product the registered name refers to

-

3.6.   
  Specific rules concerning labelling of the product the registered name refers to

The cuts must be marketed bearing the identifying label issued by the Regulatory Board.

In addition to the labels applied to the product, each half-carcass, quarter and/or primal cut is accompanied by a certificate providing information on the farm of origin, the identification and typology of the animal, the age and date of slaughter, the slaughterhouse and the classification.

As well as the compulsory indications, the labels must also bear the following: identification and logo of the ‘VACA DE EXTREMADURA’ PGI and traceability data.

Logo of the ‘VACA DE EXTREMADURA’ PGI

Image 1

4.   Concise definition of the geographical area

The geographical area to which the Protected Geographical Indication ‘Vaca de Extremadura’ applies is the entirety of the Autonomous Community of Extremadura.

5.   Link with the geographical area

The ‘Vaca de Extremadura’ PGI is based on the specific characteristics of the meat and its geographical origin.

5.1.   
  Specific characteristics of the geographical area

Extremadura is located in south-west Spain, on the Iberian Peninsula, and has an area of 41 635 km2, of which approximately 14 300 km2 are dehesas and dehesa-style landscapes.

The fauna of domestic animal species found in Extremadura largely comprises native breeds, which are connected and closely linked to the most typical environment of the region (the ‘dehesa’). Due to their sturdiness and high capacity for adaptation to difficult environments, these species all contribute to maintaining and improving the ecosystem, fertilising the soil, improving the quality of pastures and slowing the advance of scrubland.

Rainfall is spread very unevenly throughout the year, with the highest frequency in the autumn and spring and considerable variability from year to year.

The dehesa climate is characterised by a dry period which marks the early drying-out of the pastureland.

The extreme temperature and rain conditions mean that the breeds included in the ‘Vaca de Extremadura’ PGI have adjusted in the best possible manner since they are capable of resisting both the cold and the heat, and the scarcity of water in periods of drought.

The priority ecosystem for ‘Vaca de Extremadura’ PGI cattle farms are dehesas and dehesa-style landscapes.

The dehesa is one of the defining systems of the ‘Vaca de Extremadura’ PGI in extensive livestock farming in Extremadura, and is characterised by grazing over large areas of land. Livestock farming in these areas is perfectly adapted to the environment due to the hardiness of the breeds being farmed. The harsh climate and poor, low-quality soils have limited the establishment of agriculture, with livestock farming largely taking its place.

This entire ecosystem has a positive influence on the characteristics of the product.

5.2.   
  Specificity of the product

The meat from ‘Vaca de Extremadura’ cows is notable for its cherry red to purple-red colour, and its smooth and marbled streaking, with creamy white to yellowish fat that has a firm texture and is firm to the touch. It is also notable for its aroma of animal fat, its juiciness in the mouth and its deep and long-lasting meaty flavour characteristic of beef.

The colour of ‘Vaca de Extremadura’ is owed to the fact that the meat has a higher concentration of myoglobin. This is due to a range of factors, including the farming system, which involves greater levels of physical activity in the search for food. The combination of these factors has an impact on the desirable and distinguishing aspects of the meat, such as the creamy to yellowish white colour of its fat due to the accumulation of carotenes and other pigments, and a texture which is firm but has a marked succulence resulting from the higher levels of intramuscular fat. The fat content is evenly distributed, in the form of marbled or intramuscular fat, giving ‘Vaca de Extremadura’ meat distinctive characteristics on both a nutritional and a sensory level.

5.3.   
  Causal link between the geographical area and a specific quality, the reputation or other characteristic of the product

The quality of the product covered by the ‘Vaca de Extremadura’ PGI is derived from the extensive farming system on the dehesa and dehesa-style landscapes. This allows for high levels of animal welfare, as the level of stress involved in production is much lower and suckling periods are routinely observed, which confers unique characteristics on the product and is greatly appreciated by the end consumer on both a national and European scale.

There is a wide variety of extensively farmed cattle breeds in the geographical area due to its varied terrain and the influence of migratory herding from neighbouring regions. These breeds are fully adapted to the extreme climate conditions, and have evolved and adapted to improve their meat performance, thereby rivalling the meat of any other origin. This has served to support and anchor rural populations, bringing economic value to poor farming communities and providing economic and social benefits.

The production systems and livestock farming practices must support environmental protection, animal welfare and good health and hygiene conditions in accordance with the extensive farming tradition in Extremadura and the legislation in force.

The animal production systems for ‘Vaca de Extremadura’ exhibit unique characteristics compared with other Spanish livestock breeding areas, and even more so compared with other EU Member States. These differences largely stem from the fact that extensive livestock systems are of great importance in Extremadura, as they take up a large surface area and allow livestock production to be combined with environmental conservation.

These factors are made clear in numerous studies by the Department of Food Technology of the Cáceres Faculty of Veterinary Medicine. Similarly, the combination of the older age at slaughter and the farming system encourages the accumulation of natural antioxidants from the cows’ diet (tocopherols and carotenes), which give the meat a more stable red colour during the ageing and storage process following slaughter.

As regards the fat content and its arrangement and composition, the meat of ‘Vaca de Extremadura’ has clear distinguishing characteristics. The combination of the farming system and the older age at slaughter encourages a higher fat content with a uniform distribution, preferably in the form of marbled or intramuscular fat. The animals’ diet results in distinguishing changes in the composition and characteristics of the fat due to the incorporation and accumulation of compounds. The most noteworthy examples of its impact on the nutritional and sensory characteristics of the meat are the higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids, conjugated fatty acids, carotenoids, tocopherols and other compounds in the unsaponifiable fraction of the fat, such as neophytadiene or gamma-tocopherol, which may be indicative of the type of feed and farming systems specific to ‘Vaca de Extremadura’ cows fed under extensive farming conditions. The combination of these factors has an impact on the desirable and distinguishing aspects of the meat, such as the creamy to yellowish white colour of its fat due to the accumulation of carotenes and other pigments, and a texture which is firm but has a marked succulence resulting from the higher levels of intramuscular fat.

Specifically, the presence of compounds with antioxidant properties in the fat of ‘Vaca de Extremadura’ cows fed under extensive farming conditions alter the aromatic and taste characteristics of the meat. Thus, in addition to acting as possible precursors of compounds with pleasant and distinguishing aromatic characteristics, during ageing and cooking, these compounds deriving from the cows’ diet alter the oxidation reactions, preventing abnormal aromas resulting from undesirable lipid oxidation processes and, during cooking, favouring an intense aroma and taste which is characteristic of the extensively farmed ‘Vaca de Extremadura’.

In Extremadura, the cattle population of the province of Cáceres represents 13,9 % of the national population, whereas in the province of Badajoz this figure is 8,1 %.

Ploughing teams were a common sight in Extremadura at the beginning of the 13th century. Cattle were excellent draught animals, and were only slaughtered for their meat when they were no longer able to work. There were also animals bred solely for meat, which were slaughtered at their highest body weight.

In Extremadura, the vast majority of ploughing teams were made up of cows, which meant they provided a triple economic advantage: draught, calf-rearing and finally their meat.

We also find references in gastronomy linking the beef to Extremaduran cuisine in numerous recipes, such as lengua estofada con gurumelos [stewed tongue with gurumelo mushrooms] (a typical recipe from Fregenal de la Sierra), riñones de vaca extremeña con setas [Extremaduran beef kidneys with mushrooms], callos de vaca extremeña en salsa blanca [Extremaduran beef tripe in white sauce], sesos de vaca extremeña con tocino [Extremaduran beef brains with bacon], and cocido alentejano con carne de vaca extremeña [Alentejo stew with Extremaduran beef] (a typical recipe from Cheles). (Recetario de cocina extremeña. Estudio de sus orígenes [Recipe book of Extremaduran cuisine: a study of its origins], Cofradía Extremeña de Gastronomía, Universitas Editorial, 1985).

Luján and Perucho refer to Extremaduran cuisine as earnest, serious and austere ... thanks to its great dishes with links to sheep herding, rural life and hunting, such as beef shank and Extremaduran beef marrow ... (El libro de la cocina española. Gastronomía e historia [The book of Spanish cuisine. Gastronomy and history], Néstor Luján and Juan Perucho, Danae, 1972).

Chuletas de vaca a la extremeña [Extremadura-style beef chops] (Gran Enciclopedia de la Cocina [Grand Encyclopaedia of Cuisine], ABC, 1994, Ediciones Nobel S.A., Madrid), or Entrecot al modo de Cáceres [Cáceres-style entrecôte] (Cocina Extremeña [Extremaduran Cuisine]. Teclo Villalón and Pedro Plasencia, 1999, Editorial Everest). Lomo de vaca extremeña con sal de Añana [Extremaduran beef loin with Añana salt] (La cocina de Gibello [Gibello’s kitchen], website)

Recetarios Manuscritos: cocina y alimentación en la baja Extremadura (1860-1960): estudios y recetas [Handwritten recipe books: food and cooking in Lower Extremadura (1860-1960): studies and recipes], Andrés Oyola Fabian.

Reference to publication of the specification

https://www.juntaex.es/documents/77055/621148/Solicitud+IGP+Vaca+de+Extremadura.+Pliego+condiciones.pdf/06c3c70b-c0b4-27f9-4df3-795006e415af?t=1666696153740

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(1)  OJ L 343, 14.12.2012, p. 1.

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