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COM (83) 565 
 
 
 
Vol. 1983/0 213 
  
 
Disclaimer  
Conformém ent au règlement (CEE, Euratom) n° 354/83 du Conseil du 1er février 1983 
concernant l'ouverture au public des archives historiques de la Communauté économique 
européenne et de la Communauté européenne de l'énergie atomique (JO L 43 du 15.2.1983, 
p. 1), tel que modifié par le règlement (CE, Euratom) n° 1700/2003 du 22 septembre 2003 
(JO L 243 du 27.9.2003, p. 1), ce dossier est ouvert au public. Le cas échéant, les documents 
classifiés présents dans ce dossier ont été déclassifiés conformément à l'article 5 dudit 
règlem ent. 
In accordance with Council Regulation (EEC, Euratom) No 354/83 of 1 February 1983 
concerning the openi ng to the public of the historical archives of the European Econom ic 
Community and the European Atomic Energy Communit y (OJ L 43, 15.2.1983, p. 1), as 
amended by Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1700/2003 of 22 September 2003 (OJ L 243, 
27.9.2003, p. 1), this f ile is open to the public. Where necessary, classified documents in this 
file have been declassified in conformity with Article 5 of the aforementioned regulation.  
In Übereinstimmung mit der Verordnung (EWG, Euratom) Nr. 354/83 des Rates vom  1. 
Februar 198 3 über die Freigabe der historischen Archive der Europäischen  
Wirtschaftsgemeinschaft und der Europäischen Atomgem einschaft (ABI. L 43 vom  15.2.1983,  
S. 1), geändert durch die Verordnung (EG, Euratom) Nr. 1700/2003 vom 22. Septem ber 2003  
(ABI. L 243 vom 27 .9.2003, S. 1), ist diese Datei der Öffentlichkeit zugänglich. Soweit  
erforderlich, wurden die Verschlusssachen in dieser Datei in Übereinstimmung mit Artikel 5  
der genannten Verordnung freigegeben.  
COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
C0M(83) 565 f in a l 
B ru s s e ls , 20 September 1983
P roposal fo r  a 
COUNCIL REGULATION (EEC)
te rm in a tin g  the a n ti-d u m p in g  proceedings concerning im p o rts o f 
unwrought n ic k e l,  not a llo y e d , in  the form  o f cathodes 
produced by e le c t r o ly s is ,  e ith e r  uncut o r cut in to  squares, 
o r ig in a t in g  in  the  S o vie t Union
(s u b m itte d  to  the C ouncil by the Commission)
C0MC83) 565 f in a l

EXPLANATORY M EM O RANDUM
On 17 June 1983 the Commission, by R e g u la tio n  (EEC) No 1613/83, imposed 
a p ro v is io n a l anti-dum ping duty o f 7%  on im p o rts o f unwrought n ic k e l, 
not a llo y e d , in  the form o f cathodes produced by e le c t r o ly s is ,  e ith e r 
uncut or cut in to  squares, o r ig in a tin g  in  th e  S oviet U nion.
The seven per cent duty was imposed on the b a sis th a t the  S oviet Union 
had been the  p ric e  leader in  1982 and had undercut th e  average im port 
p ric e s  o f o th e r t h ir d  country s u p p lie rs  to  the Community by 7%  in  th a t y e a r.
The S oviet e x p o rte r d isp u te d  th e  basis o f c a lc u la tin g  normal v a lu e , i . e .  
c o n s tru c te d  value in  Canada, c la im in g  th a t the  p ric e  on the  w o rld  te rm in a l 
m arket, the London Metal Exchange, should be used. The Commission's 
s e rv ic e s  do not accept th is  argum ent.
Dumping by the  S oviet Union has been confirm e d  (52% m a rg in ).
The European In d u s try  is  c o n tin u in g  to  e xperience in ju r y  though i t  is  
d i f f i c u l t  to  s u s ta in  the  argument th a t t h is  is  s o le ly  a tt r ib u t a b le  to 
dumped S oviet e xpo rts (see b e lo w ). Sl...
Since the im p o s itio n  o f the  d u ty , the Commission has been requested by the  
S oviet e x p o rte r to update the in v e s tig a tio n  to  take account o f a lle g e d  
changes in  th e  n ic k e l market in  1983. The Commission was also  o rdered 
by the P re sid en t o f the  Court o f J u s tic e  o f the European Communities on 
19 J u ly  1983 to m onitor from day to day any changes in  p ric e s  on the m arket 
o f the product which is  s u b je c t to  the p ro v is io n a l d u ty .
The Commission's se rv ic e s  have a c c o rd in g ly  updated th e  in v e s tig a tio n  
p e rio d  to in c lu d e  the f i r s t  f iv e  months o f 1983 as w e ll as the 12 months 
o f 1982. In a d d itio n  to the  S o vie t Union th e re  were seven o th e r m ajor 
e x p o rte rs  to  the Community. The updating o f the in v e s tig a tio n  has shown 
th a t the  S oviet Union has been re p la ce d  by A u s tra lia  as the p ric e  lea de r 
and t h a t ,  in  s p ite  o f a c o n tin u in g  f a l l  in  S oviet e x p o rt p ric e s  to  the

EEC, the S oviet Union was, in  f a c t ,  undercut by fo u r o th e r t h ir d  co u n try 
s u p p lie rs . I t  had also  been o ve rta ke n  in  term s o f volume in  1983 by 
two o th e r e x p o rte rs .
I t  can, th e re fo re , no longer be s u s ta in e d  th a t the S o viet Union has 
c o n s is te n tly  undercut the p ric e s  o f o th e r s u p p lie rs  and the j u s t i f i c a t i o n  
fo r the maintenance o f the duty has duly d isa pp e are d .
The EEC  com plainants have been inform ed o f the  fa c t th a t the S o vie t Union 
has been replaced by o th e r s u p p lie rs  as p ric e  u n d e rc u tte r but have 
d e c lin e d  to  request opening o f an a n ti-du m p in g  in v e s tig a tio n  a g a in s t these 
o th e r s u p p lie rs .
In these circu m sta n ces, i t  is  proposed to  te rm in a te  the  a n ti-du m p in g  
procedure concerning n ic k e l from th e  S oviet Union w ith o u t the  im p o s itio n  
o f a d e f in it iv e  anti-dum ping d u ty and to  o rd e r the  re le a s e  o f any 
s e c u r itie s  p ro vide d  fo r the amount o f the  p ro v is io n a l a nti-d u m p in g  d u ty .
Member S tates have been co n su lte d  on t h is  p ro p o s a l. Greece was the 
o n ly  Member S tate which expressed re s e rv a tio n s .

Proposal for a
COUNCIL REGULATION (EEC)
terminating th .e  anti-dum ping proceedings concerning im ports  
of u n w ro u g h t nickel, n o t alloyed, in the fo rm  of cathodes produced  
b y  electrolysis, either uncut or cut into squares, originating  
in the Soviet U n io n
T H E  C O U N C IL  O F  T H E  E U R O P E A N  C O M M U N IT IE S , * 1  7  i
H avin g  regard to the Treaty establishing the E u ro p ean  E c o n o m ic  C o m m u n ity,
H avin g  regard to C ouncil Regulation (E E C ) N o  3017/79 of 20 D e c e m b e r 1979  
o n  protection against d u m p e d  or subsidized im ports fro m  countries n o t  
m e m b e rs  of the E u ro p ean  E c o n o m i c  C o m m u n i t y  (1), a s  a m e n d e d  b y  R e g u la tio n  ( E E C )
N o  1580/82(2), a n d  in particular Article: 9  thereof,
H avin g  regard to the proposal submitted b y  the C o m m is s io n  after co n ­
sultations within the Advisory C o m m ittee a s  provided for under the  
a b o ve Regulation,
W h e re a s  :
A.  Provisional action . . .  , . . · · ; · ·  · . · ■  ;  ;  - , .
T h e  C o m m iss io n , b y  Regulation (E E C ) N o  1613/83(3), im p o s e d  a  provisional  
anti-dumping duty o n  im ports of u n w ro u g h t nickel, n ot alloyed, in the .*
form  of cathodes produced b y  electrolysis, either uncut or cut into  
squares,originating in the Soviet Union.
B . S u b s e q u e n t procedures
Following the imposition of the provisional anti-dumping duty the  
exporter , V/0 R aznoim port a n d  s o m e  C o m m u n ity  consum ers, the Deutscher  
Giessereiverband a n d  the EdelstahlVereinigung e.V., requested,  
a n d  w e re  granted, a n  opportunity to b e  heard b y  the C o m m issio n . :  y .
T h e  exporter a n d  those c o n s u m e rs  also m a d e  written subm issions m ak in g  v  
k n o w n  their view s o n  the duty.
R aznoim port requested the C o m m is s io n  to take account of alleged u p w ard  
price m o v e m e n ts  in the nickel m arket b y  updating the original investigation  
period w h ic h  covered '  January to  D e c e m b e r 1982. T h e  C o m m is s io n  extended  
its investigation to cover not only 1 9 8 2  but also the first five m o n th s  of 1983
(1) 0 J  N o  L  339, 31.12.1979, p. 1.
(2) 0 J  N o  L  178, 22.6.1982, p. 9.
(3) 0 J  N o  L  159, 17.6.1983, p. 43.

C . Like product .......... . . . . . . . . . .
T h
e  E d eL stah L  Vereinigung argued that the nickel originating in the  
Soviet U n io n  a n d  the nickel produced b y  the com plainants w ere not like  
products. T h e  nickel produced b y  Inco Europe, U K  a n d  S L N , France, is  
of a  purity of 9 9 %  plus, a s  is the nickel originating in the Soviet  
Union. E a c h  is alm ost completely interchangeable in application with  
the other a n d  therefore they h a v e  to b e  considered a s  being like  
products in term s of Regulation ( E E C )  N o  3 0 1 7 /7 9 . L a rc o , G r e e c e , p r o d u c e s  ,  
ferronickel, a  nickel c o m p o u n d  which, for the purposes of definitive  
action, w a s  not considered b y  the C o m m is s io n  to b e  a  like product a n d  
w a s  therefore excluded fro m  the C om m ission's consideration o n  injury.
D . D u m p in g
F o r the imposition of the provisional duty, the C o m m is s io n  h a d  determ ined  
that there w a s  d u m p in g  in respect of nickel originating in the Soviet  
Union, the m argins varying according to the date of the transaction a n d  
the importing M e m b e r State, the weighted average m argin being 4 0 % .
In establishing the norm al value, the C o m m is s io n  h a d  to take account of  
the fact that the Soviet U nion d o e s  not h ave a  m arket e c o n o m y  a n d  that,  
therefore, in accordance with Regulation (E E C ) N o  3 0 1 7 /7 9 , n o r m a l v a lu e  
should b e  determined with reference to prices or costs of a  producer or  
producers in a  m arket e c o n o m y  country. In this connection the C o m m is s io n  
b ased  its calculation of n orm al value o n  the constructed value of the  
like product of Falconbridge Ltd, a n  independent producer in C anad a,  
a n d  set out its reasons for s o  doing in recital 1 1  of Regulation (E E C ) N o  
1613/83. There is n o  reason to ch a n g e  the preliminary determination in  
this respect.
N o  proposal w a s  m a d e  b y  an y interested party a s  to another analogue
country.
It w a s  confirm ed with the C anadian producer that the constructed value  
h a d  not altered in the first five m o n th s  of 1983.

- 3  -
9. Export prices for the w hole of the updated investigation period w ere  
determ ined o n  the basis of the prices actually paid or payable, for  
exports of the product to the C o m m u n ity .
10. T h e  Soviet exporter continued to claim that a  price allowance should b e  
m a d e  for the alleged fact that Soviet nickel w a s  sold in uncut fo rm  a n d  
that the costs in cutting the nickel to allow it to b e  sold o n  the L o n d o n  
M e ta l E x c h a n g e  a ffe c te d  p ric e  c o m p a ra b ility . In  s p ite  o f s e v e ra l r e q u e s ts  b y  th e  
C o m m is s io n  to the exporter for specific a n d  objective evidence in su b ­
stantiation of that claim, n o  s u c h  evidence w a s  submitted.
T h è  exporter's representative finally stated  
that n o  s u c h  evidence w o u ld  b e  submitted within the deadline h· ‘  ' 
a n d  the C o m m is s io n  w a s  consequently unable to allow the claim,  
th e  e x p o rte r also failed to 'subm it substantiated details of its  
C IF  costs w h ich  w e re  consequently calculated b y  the C o m m is s io n  o n  
the evidence available a n d  not disputed b y  the exporter.
11. All co m p ariso n s of the n o rm al value with the export price w e re  
m a d e  at ex-w orks level.
T h e  co m p ariso n  of n o rm al value with export prices over the extended  
investigation period s h o w e d  the existence of d u m p in g  in respect of  
n ic k e l o rig in atin g  in  th e  S o v ie t U n io n , h te  m a r g in  o f d u m p in g  b e in g  e q u a l to  th e  
a m o u n t b y  w h ic h  the n o rm al value a s  established e x c e e d e d  the price for  
export to the C o m m u n ity .
-  ■ —  T h o s e  m argins v a rie d  according to the date of transaction, the w eighted-  
average m argin being 5 2 % . - ----- _ _ _ _ _ _ _

- 4  -
E . Injury " ■  ! ; . .i o > i w . · ' · ' ■  ‘  r-
12. M o re  detailed a n d  updated evidence is n o w  available to the  
C o m m is s io n  concerning injury. This s h o w s  that im ports of nickel ,
.into  the C o m m u n ity  fro m  the Soviet U n io n  increased fro m  1 2  5 8 5
tonnes in 1 9 8 1  to 1 9  894 tonnes in 1 9 8 2  a n d  reached a n  estimated '
,  4  720 tonnes in the first five m o n th s  of 1983 with a  co n seq u ent  
increase in m arket share held b y  the Soviet U n io n  from  9 %  in 1 9 8 1  to 1 5 %  
in 1982. Indications given b y  the Soviet exporter w ere that in  1 9 8 3  
th e  s a m e  q u a n titie s  w o u ld  b e  e x p o rte d  to  th e  E E C  a s  in  1 9 8 2 .
13. '  D uring 1 9 8 2  the resale prices o f S o v ie t n ic k e l in  th e  C o m m u n i t y  u n d e r c u t th e  p ric e s
of the C o m m u n ity  producers fro m  1 4  to 2 3 %  a n d  w ere low er than those  
required to cover costs of C o m m u n ity  producers a n d  to provide a  r'
reasonable profit. -
N o  evidence w a s  found that the prices of Soviet nickel in the C o m m u n ity  
undercut the prices of C o m m u n ity  producers in the
first 5  m o n th s  of 1 9 8 ^ . th o u g h  C o m m u n ity  producers' prices rem ained at  
a  very depressed level.} r  ■ '  '  '
14. Production of the C o m m u n ity  industry fell b y
5 6 %  b etw een 1 9 8 1  a n d  1982. Production during the first
five m o n th s  of 1983 s h o w e d  s o m e  increase but rem ained below  the level  
1  ·  of 1981. T h e  capacity utilisation of the co m p an ies concerned  
■ : : · · .  decreased b y  m o re  than 4 0 '%  fro m  1 9 8 1  to 1982, recovered in the first  
5  m o n th s  of 198 3 for o n e  c o m p a n y  to a  level slightly a b o v e  the 1 9 8 1  
.  level b u t decreased further to a  very lo w  level for the seco n d  c o m p a n y .  
E E C  sales of C o m m u n ity  producers decreased b y  2 8 %  from  1 9 8 1  to 1 9 8 2  
a n d  w e re  further decreasing in the first 5  m o n th s  of 1983. s
15. E E C  producers lost 4 %  of the m arket fro m  1 9 8 1  to 198 2 a n d  experienced
a  further loss of m arket share in the first four m o n th s  of 1983. Their  
weighted average prices also decreased from  6  to 3 6 %  in the s a m e  period.  
T h e  com panies' losses w ere higher in 198 2 than in 1 9 8 1  a n d  the rate of  
loss increased further in 1983. Investments decreased over the last  
three years. T h e  n u m b e rs  em p lo yed  in the C o m m u n ity  industry decreased  
b y  2 2 %  b etw een 1 9 8 1  a n d  1982 a n d  continued to decrease in 1983.

- 5  -
16- T h e  Soviet exporter claim ed that there w a s  n o  substantial '  ’
C o m m u n ity  industry a n d  that the C o m m is s io n  h a d  taken account of extra-  
C o m m u n ity  production in its provisional assessm en t of injury. T h a t  
claim could n ot b e  accepted since the assessm ent of injury w a s  b a s e d  
o n  production of the established C o m m u n ity  industry in  
th e  E E C .
17. The Commission has considered whether injury has been caused by
other factors s u c h  a s  the v o lu m e  a n d  p ric e s  o f im p o r ts  m a d e  b y  other  
suppliers to the C o m m u n ity . In its provisional determination the  
C o m m is s io n  h a d  noted that official statistics s h o w e d  that the Soviet  
U n io n  h a d  b e e n  the largest single supplier to the C o m m u n ity  in 1 9 8 1  
a n d  1 9 8 2  a n d  h a d  also b e e n  the price leader in those tw o  years.
Soviet exports h a d  undercut the a v e r a g e  e x p o rt p ric e s  to  th e  C o m m u n i t y  o f th e  
other suppliers b y  a  m argin of 7 %  in 1982.
It w a s  also noted that, in addition to the Soviet Union, there ^  s  
w ere seven  other countries w h o  exported m o re  than 4  000 tonnes to the  
C o m m u n ity  in 1982.
H ow ever, in re-examining the situation for the extended investigation  
period the C o m m is s io n  established that, in spite of the
fact that Soviet prices h a d  continued to decline in the first five  
m o n th s  of 198 3 fro m  their levels in 1982, those of other supplying  
countries h a d  declined e v e n  further with the result that, according  
to official statistics, the Soviet U n io n  w a s  undercut b y  four  
other third countries. Soviet exports n o  longer undercut theexport  
prices to the C o m m u n ity  of the other suppliers a s  they h a d  in 198 2 b ut  
exceeded the average price of all third country im ports b y  a  m argin  
of 1 6 % .
In these circumstances, w h ich  h a v e  b e c o m e  clear only since the  
imposition of the provisional duty, it is clear that it is impossible  
to isolate the injury cau sed  b y  U S S R  exports from  the injury cau sed

-  6 -
b y  other high-volume, low-priced exports of nickel to the C o m m u n ity .  
Therefore, the imposition of a n  anti-dumping duty against im ports  
originating in the U S S R  alone is unjustified.
E . C o n e  lusion v y ; ' . ·  i ■ =  \  ,
18. T h e  anti-dumping proceeding concerning im ports of unw ro u g ht nickel,
not alloyed, in the fo rm  of cathodes produced b y  electrolysis, either  
uncut or cut into squares, originating in the Soviet Union, should b e  
terminated a n d  the security lo d g ed  for the a m o u n t of the  
provisional duty should b e  released. ■  "
19. O n e  M e m b e r State raised objections to this course in the Advisory C om m ittee.
.  H A S  A D O P T E D  T H IS  R E G U L A T IO N : ^ :  :  ' !
: < . · .  · ■  Article 1  ·'-"  ;  1  ~
T h e  anti-dumping proceeding concerning im ports of unw ro u g ht nickel,  
not alloyed, in the form  of cathodes produced b y  electrolysis, either  
uncut o r cut into squares, originating in the Soviet U nion falling
within sub-heading e x  75.01 of the C o m m o n  C u s to m s  Tariff, corresponding to  
N IM E X E  c o d e  e x  75.01— 21^  is hereby terminated.
Article 2
T h e  security lo d g ed  for the a m o u n t of the provisional duty  
i  im p o s e d  in accordance with Article 1  of Regulation (E E C ) N o
1613/83 shall b e  released.
Article 3
This Regulation shall enter into force o n  the d a y  following its  
publication in the Official Journal of the E u ro p ean  C om m unities.
This Regulation shall b e  binding in its entirety a n d  directly applicable  
in all M e m b e r States.
D o n e  at Brussels, F o r the Council