Notice of initiation of an expiry review of the antidumping measures applicable to imports of synthetic fibre ropes originating in India

(2003/C 149/07)

Following the publication of a notice of impending expiry(1) of the antidumping measures in force on imports of synthetic fibre ropes originating in India, ("country concerned"), the Commission has received a request for review pursuant to Article 11(2) of Council Regulation (EC) No 384/96(2), as last amended by Council Regulation (EC) No 1972/2002(3) ("the Basic Regulation").

1. Request for review

The request was lodged on 26 March 2003 by Eurocord ("the applicant") on behalf of producers representing a major proportion, in this case more than 53 %, of the total Community production of synthetic fibre ropes.

2. Product

The product under review is twine, cordage, ropes and cables, whether or not plaited or braided and whether or not impregnated, coated, covered or sheathed with rubber or plastics of polyethylene or polypropylene, other than binder and baler twine, measuring more than 50000 decitex (5 g/m), plaited and other, as well as other synthetic fibres of nylon or other polyamides or of polyesters measuring more than 50000 decitex (5 g/m), plaited or other, originating in India ("the product concerned"), currently classifiable within CN codes 5607 49 11, 5607 49 19, 5607 50 11 and 5607 50 19. These CN codes are given only for information.

3. Existing measures

The measures currently in force are a definitive anti-dumping duty imposed by Council Regulation (EC) No 1312/98(4).

4. Grounds for the review

The request is based on the grounds that the expiry of measures would be likely to result in a recurrence of dumping and injury to the Community. With regard to the recurrence of dumping, it is alleged that the exports to other third countries, i.e., USA and Norway, are made at dumped prices.

The applicant further alleges the likelihood of further injurious dumping. In this respect the applicant presents evidence that, should measures be allowed to lapse, the current import level of the product concerned is likely to increase due to the existence of unused capacity in the country concerned.

The applicant alleges that the situation of the Community industry is still fragile and that any further substantial increase of imports at dumped prices from the country concerned would be likely to cause even further injury to the Community industry.

5. Procedure

Having determined, after consulting the Advisory Committee, that sufficient evidence 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.

5.1. Procedure for the determination of likelihood of dumping and injury

The investigation will determine whether the expiry of the measures would be likely, or unlikely, to lead to a continuation or recurrence of dumping and injury.

(a) Questionnaires

In order to obtain the information it deems necessary for its investigation, the Commission will send questionnaires to the Community industry and to any association of producers in the Community, to the exporters/producers in India to any association of exporters/producers, to the importers, to any association of importers named in the request or which cooperated in the investigation leading to the measures subject to the present review, and to the authorities of the exporting country concerned.

In any event, all parties should contact the Commission forthwith by fax in order to find out whether they are listed in the request and if necessary request a questionnaire within the time limit set in paragraph 6(a), given that the time limit set in paragraph 6(b) of this notice applies to all interested parties.

(b) Collection of information and holding of hearings

All interested parties are hereby invited to make their views known, submit information other than questionnaire replies and to provide supporting evidence. This information and supporting evidence must reach the Commission within the time limit set in paragraph 6(b) of this notice.

Furthermore, the Commission may hear interested parties, provided that they make a request showing that there are particular reasons why they should be heard. This request must be made within the time limit set in paragraph 6(c) of this notice.

5.2. Procedure for the assesment of Community interest

In accordance with Article 21 of the Basic Regulation and in the event that the likelihood of a continuation of dumping and injury is confirmed, a decision will be reached as to whether to maintain or repeal the anti-dumping measures would not be against the Community interest. For this reason the Community industry, importers, their representative associations, representative users and representative consumer organisations, provided that they prove that there is an objective link between their activity and the product concerned, may, within the time limits set in paragraph 6(b) of this notice, make themselves known and provide the Commission with information. The parties which have acted in conformity with the precedent sentence may request a hearing, setting the particular reasons why they should be heard, within the time limit set in paragraph 6(c) of this notice. It should be noted that any information submitted pursuant to Article 21 will only be taken into account if supported by factual evidence at the time of submission.

6. Time limits

(a) For parties to request a questionnaire or other claim forms

All interested parties who did not cooperate in the investigation leading to the measures subject to the present review should request a questionnaire or other claim forms as soon as possible, but not later than 15 days after the publication of this notice in the Official Journal of the European Union.

(b) For parties to make themselves known, to submit questionnaire replies and any other information

All interested parties, if their representations are to be taken into account during the investigation, must make themselves known by contacting the Commission, present their views and submit questionnaire replies or any other information within 40 days of the date of publication of this notice in the Official Journal of the European Union, unless otherwise specified. Attention is drawn to the fact that the exercise of most procedural rights set out in the Basic Regulation depends on the party's making itself known within the aforementioned period

(c) Hearings

All interested parties may also apply to be heard by the Commission within the same 40 day time limit.

7. Written submissions, questionnaire replies and correspondence

All submissions and requests made by interested parties must be made in writing (not in electronic format, unless otherwise specified), and must indicate the name, address, e-mail address, telephone and fax, and/or telex numbers of the interested party. All written submissions, including the information requested in this notice, questionnaire replies and correspondence provided by interested parties on a confidential basis shall be labelled as "Limited(5)" and, in accordance with Article 19(2) of the Basic Regualtion, shall be accompanied by a non-confidential version, which will be labelled "for inspection by interested parties".

Commission address for correspondence: European Commission Directorate General for Trade

Directorate B

Office: J-79 5/16 B - 1049 Brussels Fax (32-2) 295 65 05 Telex COMEU B 21877.

8. Non-cooperation

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

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

(1) OJ C 240, 5.10.2002, p. 2.

(2) OJ L 56, 6.3.96, p. 1.

(3) OJ L 305, 7.11.2002, p. 1.

(4) OJ L 183, 26.6.98, p. 1.

(5) This means that the document is for internal use only. It is 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). It is a confidential document pursuant to Article 19 of Council Regulation (EC) No 384/96 (OJ L 56, 6.3.1996, p. 1) and Article 6 of the WTO Agreement on the Implementation of Article VI of the GATT 1994 (Anti-dumping Agreement).