Commercial Information Circulars

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

12 December 2007

Dear Sirs,

Commercial Information Circular No. 496/2007

European Union (EU)* : Result of Expiry Review of the Anti-dumping Measures on Imports of Gas Fuelled, Non-refillable and Certain Refillable Pocket Flint Lighters Originating in, inter alia, the Mainland of China

Further to Commercial Information Circular No. 371/2006 of 18 September 2006, the Council of the EU has published a regulation announcing the decision to maintain the anti-dumping duty imposed on imports of gas fuelled, non-refillable and certain refillable pocket flint lighters originating in, inter alia, the Mainland of China consequent to an expiry review. The regulation can be accessed through the following link :
http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/site/en/oj/2007/l_326/l_32620071212en00010017.pdf.

2. Salient points are set out below -

3. With effect from 13 December 2007, the above anti-dumping duty is extended to imports of similar products falling within CN codes ex 9613 10 00 and ex 9613 20 90 (TARIC codes 9613 10 00 11 and 9613 20 90 21) consigned from Chinese Taipei, whether declared as originating in Chinese Taipei or not.

BACKGROUND

4. Definitive anti-dumping duty on imports of gas-fuelled, non-refillable pocket flint lighters originating in the Mainland of China has been imposed since 29 November 1991 at a rate of 16.9%. Subsequently, the Council of the EU revised the definitive anti-dumping duty rate to EUR 0.065 per lighter on 5 May 1995 consequent to a review. Following an anti-circumvention investigation, such anti-dumping duty has since 30 January 1999 been extended to (a) gas-fuelled, non-refillable pocket flint lighters consigned from or originating in Chinese Taipei; and (b) certain gas-fuelled, refillable pocket flint lighters originating in the Mainland of China or consigned from or originating in Chinese Taipei. Subsequent to an expiry review, the definitive anti-dumping duty imposed on the products concerned has been extended for another five years starting from 19 September 2001.

5. On the basis of a request lodged by BIC S.A., a Community producer representing more than 80% of the total Community production of gas-fuelled, non-refillable pocket flint lighters, the European Commission initiated the current expiry review on 16 September 2006.

ENQUIRIES

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

Yours faithfully,

(TANG Yu Him)
for Director-General of Trade and Industry

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