Hand pallet trucks and their essential parts, i.e. chassis and hydraulics, currently falling within CN codes ex 8427 90 00 and ex 8431 20 00 (TARIC codes 8427 90 00 19 and 8431 20 00 19). Hand pallet trucks are defined as 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).

With effect from 17 December 2015, imports of the product under investigation are made subject to registration by the EU's customs authorities.  The registration shall expire nine months following 17 December 2015.

The registration is to ensure that should the investigation, which will be concluded within nine months of 17 December 2015, result in findings of circumvention, anti-dumping duties of an appropriate amount can be levied from the date on which registration of such imports was imposed.

The Commission will send questionnaires to known exporters/producers and to the known associations of exporters/producers in the Mainland of China, to the known importers and to the known associations of importers in the EU and to the authorities of the Mainland of China.  Information, as appropriate, may also be sought from the Union industry.

Interested parties should request a copy of the questionnaire from the Commission within 15 days from 17 December 2015.

Interested parties must make themselves known by contacting the Commission, present their views in writing, submit questionnaire replies or any other information to be taken into account during the investigation, or apply to be heard by the Commission within 37 days from 17 December 2015, unless otherwise specified.

Interested parties are invited to make all submissions and requests by e-mail including scanned powers of attorney and certification sheets. By using e-mail, interested parties express their agreement with the rules applicable to electronic submissions contained in the document 'CORRESPONDENCE WITH THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION IN TRADE DEFENCE CASES' published on the website of the Directorate - General for Trade (DG Trade): http://trade.ec.europa.eu/doclib/docs/2011/june/tradoc_148003.pdf. They must indicate their name, address, telephone and a valid e-mail address and should ensure that the e-mail address provided is a functioning official business e-mail which is checked on a daily basis. Once contact details are provided, the Commission will communicate with interested parties by e-mail only, unless they explicitly request to receive all documents from the Commission by another means of communication or unless the nature of the document to be sent requires the use of a registered mail.  For further rules and information concerning correspondence with the Commission including principles that apply to submissions by e-mail, interested parties should consult the guideline mentioned above.

Commission address for correspondence:
European Commission
Directorate-General for Trade
Directorate H
Office: CHAR 04/039
1049 Brussels
Belgium
E-mail: TRADE-HPT-R637-CIRCUMVENTION@ec.europa.eu

Interested parties may request the intervention of the Hearing Officer in trade proceedings, 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.  The Hearing Officer will also provide opportunities for a hearing involving parties to take place which would allow different views to be presented and rebuttal arguments offered.  For further information and contact details, interested parties may consult the Hearing Officer's web pages on DG Trade's website:
http://ec.europa.eu/trade/trade-policy-and-you/contacts/hearing-officer/.

Imports of the product under investigation may be exempted from registration of imports or measures if the importation does not constitute circumvention.  Producers seeking exemption from registration or measures must submit a request duly supported by evidence within 37 days from 17 December 2015.