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

30 November 2006

Dear Sirs,

Commercial Information Circular No. 472/2006

European Union (EU)* : Initiation of a Partial Interim Review of the Anti-dumping Measures on Imports of Okoumé Plywood Originating in the Mainland of China

Further to Commercial Information Circular No. 289/2004 of 17 November 2004, the European Commission (the Commission) has published a notice to initiate a partial interim review of the anti-dumping measures imposed on imports of okoumé plywood originating in the Mainland of China. A copy of the notice is at Annex (pdf format) for reference.

DETAILS

Grounds for the Review

2. On the basis of a request lodged by the European Federation of the Plywood Industry (FEIC), the Commission has initiated the partial interim review on 30 November 2006. It is alleged that new product types have appeared on the market such as plywood consisting solely of sheets of wood, each ply not exceeding 6 mm thickness, with at least one outer ply of bintangor, red canarium, kedondong or certain other species, not coated by a permanent film of other materials, falling within CN code ex 4412 13 10, ex 4412 13 90 and ex 4412 14 00 (these CN codes are only given for information). These products should be included in the scope of the anti-dumping measures on the grounds that they share the same basic physical and chemical characteristics and end uses as the product covered by the existing measures. Both the product concerned and the new product types should therefore be considered as a single product. The Commission's investigation will assess the need for the amendment of the scope of the existing anti-dumping measures.

Review Procedures

3. Salient points of the review are set out below-

(a) Date of Publication of the Notice	:	30 November 2006
(b) Product Coverage	:	Okoumé plywood, defined as plywood consisting solely of sheets of wood, each ply not exceeding 6 mm thickness, with at least one outer ply of okoumé not coated by a permanent film of other materials, currently classifiable within CN code ex 4412 1310 (the CN code is given for information only).
(c) Procedures	:	In order to obtain necessary information for the investigation, the Commission will send questionnaires to FEIC, importers, users, exporting producers in the Mainland of China and the authorities of the Mainland of China. All interested parties, if their representations are to be taken into account, must make themselves known by contacting the Commission, present their views and submit questionnaire replies or any other information within 40 days from 30 November 2006, unless otherwise specified. They may also apply to be heard by the Commission within 40 days from 30 November 2006. All correspondence must be made in writing (not in electronic format, unless otherwise specified) indicating the name, address, e-mail address, telephone and fax numbers of the interested party and should be sent to the following address : European Commission Directorate General for Trade Directorate B Office: J-79 5/16 B-1049 Brussels Fax : (32-2) 295 65 05
(d) Investigation Schedule	:	Investigation will be concluded within 15 months from 30 November 2006.

BACKGROUND

4. Definitive anti-dumping duty on imports of okoumé plywood originating in the Mainland of China has been imposed since 13 November 2004 at a rate of 66.7% of the net, free-at-Community-frontier price before duty (except for four companies with individual duty ranging from 6.5% to 23.5%).

ENQUIRIES

5. For enquiries concerning the content of this circular, please contact the undersigned at telephone number 2398 5350.

Yours faithfully,


(Bill WONG)

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.