Commercial Information Circulars

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Ref : EIC 230/2/3/2/13

3 June 2005

Dear Sirs,

Commercial Information Circular No. 196/2005

European Union (EU)* : Termination of the Partial Interim Review of the Anti-dumping Measures on Imports of Silicon Originating in the Mainland of China

Further to Commercial Information Circular No. 81/2004 of 27 March 2004, the Council of the EU (the Council) has published a regulation to terminate the partial interim review without introducing any changes to the anti-dumping measures imposed on imports of silicon originating in the mainland of China. A copy of the regulation is at Annex (pdf format) for reference.

DETAILS

2. The European Commission self-initiated a partial interim review on 20 March 2004 to examine whether, as a consequence of the enlargement of the EU on 1 May 2004, and bearing in mind the aspect of the Community interest, there was a need to adapt the anti-dumping measures in order to avoid a sudden and excessively negative effect on interested parties including users, distributors and consumers.
3. The investigation revealed that there were alternative sources of supply of silicon to the ten new Member States (viz. Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, the Slovak Republic and Slovenia). Furthermore, the impact of the anti-dumping duty on the cost of manufacturing of aluminium alloys (silicon is an intermediary product used for the production of secondary aluminium alloys) in the ten new Member States was limited. It was thus concluded that the extension of the anti-dumping measures in force in the EU-15 to the ten new Member States would not likely cause a sudden and excessively negative effect on interested parties including users, distributors and consumers. Therefore, no transitional arrangements are warranted. In light of such findings, the Council decided that the partial interim review of the anti-dumping measures imposed on imports of silicon originating in the mainland of China should be terminated with effect from 27 May 2005.

BACKGROUND

4. Definitive anti-dumping duties on silicon originating in the mainland of China have been imposed since 17 December 1997 at a rate of 49% of the net, free-at-Community-frontier price before duty. The subject anti-dumping duties have been extended for another five years starting from 5 March 2004 subsequent to an expiry review.

ENQUIRIES

5. For enquiries concerning the content of this circular, please contact the undersigned at telephone number 2398 5351.

Yours faithfully,


(Ricky CHENG)

for Director-General of Trade and Industry

* The EU includes Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, the Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom.