Commercial Information Circulars

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

2 February 2011

Dear Sirs,

Commercial Information Circular No. 94/2011

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

Further to the Commercial Information Circular No. 572/2009 of 11 November 2009, the Council of the EU has published a regulation announcing the decisions to (i) maintain the definitive anti-dumping duty imposed on imports of okoumé plywood originating in the Mainland of China, and (ii) terminate the partial interim review. The regulation can be accessed through the following link :
http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:L:2011:028:0001:0013:EN:PDF.

DETAILS

2. Salient points are set out below –

(a) Product

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, falling within CN code ex 4412 31 10 (TARIC code 4412 31 10 10).

(b) Rate of Duty

66.7% of the net, free-at-Union-frontier price before duty (except for four companies with individual duty ranging from 6.5% to 23.5%).

3 February 2011

(d) Duration

Five years

BACKGROUND

3. 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-Union-frontier price before duty (except for four companies with individual duty ranging from 6.5% to 23.5%).

4. At the request of the European Federation of the Plywood Industry on behalf of Union producers representing a major proportion, the European Commission (the Commission) initiated an expiry review on 11 November 2009. As a result of the review, the definitive anti-dumping duty on okoumé plywood originating in the Mainland of China has been maintained with effect from 3 February 2011 for another five years.

5. Besides, following a French court proceeding into the anti-competitive behaviour of some French producers, the Commission also initiated a partial interim review on the situation of injury of the Union industry. Based on the findings of the above expiry review, it is concluded that the anti-competitive behaviour of the French producers did not affect the injury situation of the Union industry in particular in comparison to the situation which prevailed in the investigation period of the original investigation. Therefore, the partial interim review has been terminated.

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.