Commercial Information Circulars

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

13 December 2012

Dear Sirs,

Commercial Information Circular No. 1056/2012

European Union (EU)* : Termination of the Registration of Imports of Gas-fuelled, Non-refillable Pocket Flint Lighters Consigned from Vietnam, whether Declared as Originating in Vietnam or not, in Connection with an Investigation Concerning the Possible Circumvention of Anti-dumping Measures Imposed on Imports of Such Products Originating in the Mainland of China

Further to the Commercial Information Circulars Nos. 486/2012 of 26 June 2012 and 1051/2012 of 12 December 2012, the European Commission (the Commission) has, in connection with an investigation concerning the possible circumvention of anti-dumping measures imposed on imports of gas-fuelled, non-refillable pocket flint lighters originating in the Mainland of China, published a regulation to terminate the registration of imports of such products consigned from Vietnam, whether declared as originating in Vietnam or not. The terminating regulation can be accessed through the following link:
http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:L:2012:340:0037:0037:EN:PDF

DETAILS

2.The Commission published a regulation on 26 June 2012 to initiate an investigation concerning the possible circumvention of anti-dumping measures imposed on gas-fuelled, non-refillable pocket flint lighters originating in the Mainland of China by imports of such products consigned from Vietnam, whether declared as originating in Vietnam or not. The regulation also required imports of the products under investigation to be subject to registration.

3.Given the expiry of anti-dumping measures on imports of gas-fuelled, non-refillable pocket flint lighters originating in the Mainland of China on 13 December 2012, it is considered that the registration of imports of the concerned products consigned from Vietnam, whether declared as originating in Vietnam or not, should be discontinued. In this connection, customs authorities of the Union are directed to cease the registration with effect from 14 December 2012. That said, the terminating regulation does not prejudge the conclusions of the investigation initiated.

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 was extended for another five years starting from 19 September 2001. Following another expiry review initiated in September 2006, the definitive anti-dumping duty imposed on the products concerned has been maintained for a further five years starting from 13 December 2007.

5.Despite the anti-circumvention investigation mentioned at paragraph 2 above, in the absence of duly substantiated request for further expiry review, the anti-dumping duty expired at midnight of 13 December 2012.

ENQUIRIES

6.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.