Commercial Information Circulars

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Ref : 230/2/3/2/13

6 June 2013

Dear Sirs,

Commercial Information Circular No. 452/2013

European Union (EU) * : Initiation of a Partial Interim Review of the Anti-dumping Measures on Imports of Certain Stainless Steel Fasteners and Parts Thereof Originating in, inter alia, the Mainland of China

Further to the Commercial Information Circulars Nos. 26/2012 of 9 January 2012 and 212/2013 of 12 March 2013, the European Commission (the Commission) has initiated a partial interim review of the anti-dumping measures applicable to imports of certain stainless steel fasteners and parts thereof originating in, inter alia, the Mainland of China. The notice can be accessed through the following link:
http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:C:2013:160:0003:0005:EN:PDF.

DETAILS

Ground for the Review

2.The Commission has initiated a review limited to the examination of the product scope as regards the clarification of whether certain product types within the scope of the anti-dumping measures imposed on imports of certain stainless steel fasteners and parts thereof originating in, inter alia, the Mainland of China after receiving a request lodged by Sheh Kai Precision Co., Ltd, an exporting producer from Taiwan, for exclusion of certain stainless steel fasteners from the scope of the current anti-dumping measures.

3.The request is said to be based on prima facie evidence demonstrating that the basic physical, technical and chemical characteristics of the product to be excluded differ significantly from those of the product under review. As the anti-dumping measures also apply to imports originating in the Mainland of China, the Commission has decided on its own initiative to initiate the review for imports originating in the Mainland of China.

Review Procedures

4.Salient points of the partial interim review are set out below-

(a) Date of Publication of the Notice	:	6 June 2013
(b) Product Coverage	:	Certain stainless steel fasteners and parts thereof, currently falling within CN codes 7318 12 10, 7318 14 10, 7318 15 30, 7318 15 51, 7318 15 61 and 7318 15 70.
(c) Procedures	:	In order to obtain information it deems necessary for its investigation, the Commission will send questionnaires to, inter alia, the known producers in the Mainland of China and to the authorities of the concerned countries, to the Union industry, to other known producers in Union, to known importers and users. This information and supporting evidence should reach the Commission within 37 days from 6 June 2013, unless otherwise specified. All interested parties are invited to make their views known, submit information and to provide supporting evidence within 37 days from 6 June 2013, unless otherwise specified. They may also request to be heard by the Commission investigation services. Any request to be heard must be made in writing and should specify the reasons for the request. For hearings on issues pertaining to the initial stage of the investigation, the request must be submitted within 15 days from 6 June 2013. Thereafter, a request to be heard must be submitted within the specific deadlines set by the Commission in its communication with the parties. Interested parties are required to make all submissions and requests in electronic format (non-confidential submissions via e-mail, confidential ones on CD-R/DVD), and must indicate their name, address, e-mail address, telephone and fax numbers. However, any powers of attorney, signed certifications, and any updates thereof, accompanying questionnaire replies must be submitted on paper, i.e. by post or by hand, at the address below. If an interested party cannot provide its submissions and requests in electronic format, it must immediately contact the Commission. For further information concerning correspondence with the Commission, interested parties may consult the relevant web page on the website of Directorate-General for Trade (DG Trade): http://ec.europa.eu/trade/tackling-unfair-trade/trade-defence. Commission address for correspondence: European Commission Directorate-General for Trade Directorate H Office: N105 08/020 1049 Brussels Belgium Fax: +32 2296 2219 E-mail: TRADE-FASTENERS-PRODUCT-SCOPE@ec. europa.eu Interested parties may request the intervention of the Hearing Officer of DG Trade, who acts as an interface between the interested parties and the Commission investigation services through reviewing requests for access to the file, disputes regarding the confidentiality of documents, requests for extension of time-limits and requests by third parties to be heard. A request for a hearing with the Hearing Officer should be made in writing and should specify the reasons for the request. For hearings on issues pertaining to the initial stage of the review investigation, the request must be submitted within 15 days from 6 June 2013. For further information and contact details, interested parties may consult the Hearing Officer's web pages on DG Trade's website.
(d) Investigation Schedule	:	Investigation will be concluded within 15 months from 6 June 2013.

BACKGROUND

5.Definitive anti-dumping duties on certain stainless steel fasteners and parts thereof originating in, inter alia, the Mainland of China have been imposed since 20 November 2005. The current duty in force is 27.4% of the net, free-at-Union-frontier price before duty (except for two companies whose individual duty rates are 11.4% and 12.2% respectively).

6.As a result of an expiry review initiated on 19 November 2010, the definitive anti-dumping duty is maintained for further five years with effect from 8 January 2012. Consequent to a circumvention investigation, the definitive anti-dumping duty imposed on imports of certain stainless steel fasteners and parts thereof originating in the Mainland of China has been extended to imports of the same products consigned from the Philippines, whether declared as originating in the Philippines or not, with effect from 13 March 2013.

ENQUIRIES

7.For enquiries concerning the contents of this circular, please contact the undersigned at telephone number 2398 5684.

Yours faithfully,

(Miss Stella CHAN)
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.

Note 1:	While every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the above information, the Department cannot guarantee this to be so and will not be held liable for any reliance placed on the same.
Note 2:	The biweekly newsletter "Business Alert - EU" of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council provides up-to-date information on the latest developments in EU trade policy and trade regulations. The newsletter is available for free e-subscription and can be accessed through http://www.tdctrade.com/alert/eualert.htm.