Commercial Information Circulars

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

5 October 2001

Dear Sirs,

Commercial Information Circular No. 151/01

European Union (EU)* : Result of Expiry Review of the Anti-dumping Measures on Imports of Gas-fuelled, Non-refillable Pocket Flint Lighters Originating in the Mainland of Chin

Further to Commercial Information Circular No. 65/00 of 17 May 2000, the Council of the EU has published a regulation in the Official Journal of the European Communities announcing the decision to maintain the definitive anti-dumping duty imposed on imports of gas-fuelled, non-refillable pocket flint lighters originating in the mainland of China consequent to an expiry review. The anti-dumping duties extended to (a) gas-fuelled, non-refillable pocket flint lighters consigned from or originating in Chinese Taipei; and (b) certain refillable pocket flint lighters originating in the mainland of China or consigned from or originating in Chinese Taipei are also maintained. A copy of the regulation is appended (pdf format )to this circular for reference. Details are as follows :

BACKGROUND

2. The Council of the EU imposed on 29 November 1991 definitive anti-dumping duty on imports of gas-fuelled, non-refillable pocket flint lighters originating in the mainland at a rate of 16.9%. Subsequently, the Council revised the definitive anti-dumping duty rate to ECU 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 :

   (i) gas-fuelled, non-refillable pocket flint lighters consigned from or originating in Chinese Taipei; and

   (ii) gas-fuelled, refillable pocket flint lighters originating in the mainland of China or consigned from or originating in Chinese Taipei (except those refillable lighters with a free-at-Community-frontier, duty unpaid, value per piece equal to or greater than EUR 0.15 if such a price is specified in an invoice issued by an exporter in the mainland to an unrelated importer in the Community).

3. In February 2000, the European Lighters Manufacturers Federation requested for an expiry review alleging that there would be a continuation or recurrence of dumping and injury to the Community industry with the expiry of the anti-dumping measures. The European Commission initiated an expiry review on 5 May 2000.

4. On the basis of the results of the investigation, the Commission concluded that there was dumping of the product concerned and there would be likelihood of recurrence of injurious dumping if the measures were repealed. The Council of the EU therefore decided to maintain the definitive anti-dumping duty imposed on gas-fuelled, non-refillable pocket flint lighters originating in the mainland of China and the extended anti-dumping duty as specified in paragraphs 2(i) and 2(ii) above. The duty has taken effect since 19 Septembe 2001.

ENQUIRIES

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

Yours faithfully,

(Thomas CHEUNG)

for Director-General of Trade and Industry

* : The EU Member States are Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom.

Note : 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.