• -solar chargers that consist of less than six cells, are portable and supply electricity to devices or charge batteries;
• -thin film photovoltaic products; and
• -crystalline silicon photovoltaic products that are permanently integrated into electrical goods, where the function of the electrical goods is other than power generation, and where these electrical goods consume the electricity generated by the integrated crystalline silicon photovoltaic cell(s).

All interested parties wishing to submit any other relevant information regarding the selection of the sample must do so within 21 days from 8 November 2012, unless otherwise specified.

If a sample is necessary, it may be based on the largest representative volume of the production, sales or exports which can reasonably be investigated within the time available. All known exporting producers, the authorities of the Mainland of China and associations of exporting producers will be notified of the companies selected to be in the sample. All exporting producers selected to be in the sample will have to submit a completed questionnaire within 37 days from the date of notification of the sample selection, unless otherwise specified.

Companies that have agreed to their possible inclusion in the sample but are not selected will be considered to be cooperating ("non-sampled cooperating exporting producers"). Non-sampled cooperating exporting producers wishing to claim an individual subsidy margin must request a questionnaire and return it duly completed within 37 days from the date of notification of the sample selection, unless otherwise specified.

Exporting producers claiming an individual subsidy margin should however be aware that if sampling is applied, the Commission may nonetheless decide not to determine their individual subsidy margin if, for instance, the number of exporting producers is so large that such determination would be unduly burdensome and would prevent the timely completion of the investigation.

In order to determine injury based on, inter alia, positive evidence and objective examination of the volume of the subsidised imports, and in view of the large number of Union producers involved in this proceeding, the Commission has decided to apply sampling, and provisionally selected a sample of Union producers. All interested parties wishing to submit any other relevant information regarding the selection of the sample must do so within 21 days from 8 November 2012, unless otherwise specified.

All interested parties may make their views known, submit information and provide supporting evidence within 37 days from 8 November 2012, unless otherwise specified.

All interested parties may request to be heard by the Commission investigation services. Any request to be heard should 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 8 November 2012. Thereafter, a request to be heard should be submitted within the specific deadlines set by the Commission in its communication with the parties.

Interested parties should 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 22985514 (only for correspondence regarding investigating exporting producers & Annex A)
+32 22956505 (for other issues)

E-mail: trade-solar-subsidy@ec.europa.eu (only for correspondence regarding investigating exporting producers and Annex A)
trade-solar-injury@ec.europa.eu (for other issues)

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. The Hearing Officer may organise a hearing with an individual interested party and mediate to ensure that the interested parties' rights of defence are being fully exercised. 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 investigation, the request must be submitted within 15 days from 8 November 2012. For further information and contact details, interested parties may consult the Hearing Officer's web pages on the website of DG Trade (http://ec.europa.eu/trade/tackling-unfair-trade/hearing-officer/index_en.htm).