WRITTEN QUESTION No. 2100/97 by Alexandros ALAVANOS to the Commission. Five-year extension of 39.2% duty on imports of handbags from China
Date: 1997-06-19
Institutions: ALAVANOS, European Parliament
Subjects: China, anti-dumping duty, fancy leather goods and glove-making industry, import, originating product, restriction on competition

C 45/156

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

10. 2. 98

(98/C 45/205)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2100/97

by Alexandros Alavanos (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(19 June 1997)

Subject: Five-year extension of 39.2% duty on imports of handbags from China

The leather and travel goods sector, a traditional manufacturing industry in Greece, is undergoing a severe crisis
as a result of imports from third countries › particularly those with low labour costs › which is reflected in
falling employment and a declining number of businesses (approximately 25% closed down between 1992 and
1996).

As  a  stop-gap  response,  the  EU  imposed  a  39.2%  duty  on  handbags  from  China  for  a  period  of  six  months
(1 February 1997 › 31 July 1997). Given that Chinese imports are causing extremely serious problems for the
leather goods industry, what will the Commission do to extend to a period of five years the 39.2% duty originally
imposed on imports of handbags from China for six months?

Answer given by Sir Leon Brittan on behalf of the Commission

(16 July 1997)

By  means  of  the  Regulation  (EC)  No  209/97 (1),  published  in  the  Official  journal  on  4  February  1997,  the
Commission imposed provisional anti-dumping duties on imports of handbags originating in China, for a period
of six months.

In the same Regulation, the Commission undertook to analyse further certain aspects of the Community interest
of  the  proceeding  that  had  not  been  fully  ascertained  before.  For  this  purpose,  the  Commission  invited  all
interested parties to present substantiated evidence on a number of relevant issues. Hearings were held in order to
allow interested parties to present arguments in support of their position.

The analysis of this information concludes that anti-dumping measures should be taken with respect to imports of
leather handbags, in view of the fact that all the requirements laid down by the anti-dumping basic regulation are
fulfilled. Concerning handbags made of plastic and textile, however, the examination of the evidence submitted
shows that there are compelling reasons why measures should not be adopted on the grounds of Community
interest.  Namely,  it  is  considered  unlikely  that  Community  producers  will  benefit  from  the  imposition  of
anti-dumping measures, since it has been ascertained that importers will source from other third countries. At the
same time, the negative impact on importers, distributors and traders will be substantial, in a market where more
than 80% of the Community consumption is supplied by imports from China.

Therefore on 2 July 1997, the Commission proposed to the Council that definitive anti-dumping measures be
imposed  on  imports  of  leather  handbags  and  that  the  proceeding  should  be  terminated  for  plastic  and  textile
handbags without the imposition of definitive measures. A final decision should be taken by the Council before
4 August 1997.

(1)  OJ L 33, 4.2.1997, p. 11.

(98/C 45/206)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2107/97

by Ge·rard Caudron (PSE) to the Commission

(23 June 1997)

Subject: Harmonization of diplomas › rules governing the profession of special needs teacher

It is well known that the harmonization of diplomas is essential in the interests of promoting a genuine sense of
European citizenship.

Regular progress has been made in this area, but as time goes by a number of professions are becoming very
disillusioned with regard to the true effectiveness of European integration.