Commercial Information Circulars

24-hour hotline : 23 922 922

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

13 October 2011

Dear Sirs,

Commercial Information Circular No. 623/2011

European Union (EU)* : Results of an Expiry Review of the Anti-dumping Measures on Imports of Hand Pallet Trucks and Their Essential Parts Originating in the Mainland of China

Further to the Commercial Information Circular No. 330/2010 of 21 July 2010, the Council of the EU has published a regulation (the "Regulation") announcing the decision to maintain the definitive anti-dumping duty imposed on imports of hand pallet trucks and their essential parts originating in the Mainland of China consequent to an expiry review. The Regulation can be accessed through the following link : http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:L:2011:268:0001:0011:EN:PDF.

DETAILS

2. Salient points are set out below –

(a) Product

Hand pallet trucks and their essential parts, i.e. chassis and hydraulics, currently falling within CN codes ex 8427 90 00 (TARIC codes 8427 90 00 11 and 8427 90 00 19) and ex 8431 20 00 (TARIC codes 8431 20 00 11 and 8431 20 00 19). For the purpose of this Regulation, hand pallet trucks shall be trucks with wheels supporting lifting fork arms for handling pallets, designed to be manually pushed, pulled and steered, on smooth, level, hard surfaces, by a pedestrian operator using an articulated tiller. The hand pallet trucks are only designed to raise a load, by pumping the tiller, to a height sufficient for transporting and do not have any other additional functions or uses such as for example (i) to move and to lift the loads in order to place them higher or assist in storage of loads (highlifters); (ii) to stack one pallet above the other (stackers); (iii) to lift the load to a working level (scissorlifts); or (iv) to lift and to weigh the loads (weighing trucks).

(b) Rate of Duty

46.7% of the net, free-at-Union-frontier price before duty (except for four companies with individual duty rates ranging from 7.6% to 39.9%).

14 October 2011

(d) Duration

Five years

3. Separately, as there was no new element brought forward in this respect in the framework of this expiry review, it is considered that the extension of the definitive anti-dumping duty since 17 June 2009 to imports of hand pallet trucks and their essential parts, i.e. chassis and hydraulics, as further defined in paragraph 2 (a), currently falling within CN codes ex 8427 90 00 and ex 8431 20 00 (TARIC codes 8427 90 00 11 and 8431 20 00 11) consigned from Thailand, whether declared as originating in Thailand or not, should also be maintained.

BACKGROUND

4. Definitive anti-dumping duties on imports of hand pallet trucks and their essential parts originating in the Mainland of China have been imposed since 22 July 2005 at a rate of 46.7% of the net, free-at-Union-frontier price before duty (except for four companies with individual duty rates ranging from 7.6% to 39.9%).

5. Consequent to a circumvention investigation, anti-dumping duty has been extended with effect from 17 June 2009 to imports of the same product consigned from Thailand, whether declared as originating in Thailand or not.

ENQUIRIES

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

Yours faithfully,

(Alex LI)

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.

(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.