Council Implementing Regulation (EU) No 205/2011
of 28 February 2011
amending Regulation (EC) No 1292/2007 imposing a definitive anti-dumping duty on imports of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) film originating in India
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,
Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,
Having regard to the proposal submitted by the European Commission (‘the Commission’) after consulting the Advisory Committee,
Whereas:
It should be noted that Vacmet India Limited is subject to a residual anti-dumping duty of 17,3 % on the basis of Regulation (EC) No 1292/2007.
It should also be noted that Vacmet India Limited is subject to a countervailing duty of 19,1 % on the basis of Regulation (EC) No 367/2006.
On 7 August 2009, the Commission received a request for a partial interim review pursuant to Article 11(3) of the basic Regulation. The request, limited in scope to the examination of dumping, was lodged by Vacmet India Limited, an exporting producer from India (‘the applicant’). In its request, the applicant claimed that the circumstances on the basis of which measures were imposed have changed and that these changes are of a lasting nature. The applicant provided prima facie evidence that the continued imposition of the measure at its current level is no longer necessary to offset dumping.
The partial interim review investigation was also to assess the need, depending on the review findings, to amend the rate of duty currently applicable to imports of the product concerned from exporting producers in the country concerned not individually mentioned in Article 2(2) of Regulation (EC) No 1292/2007, i.e. the anti-dumping duty rate as applying to ‘all other companies’ in India.
The investigation of the level of dumping covered the period from 1 January to 31 December 2009 (‘review investigation period’ or ‘RIP’).
The Commission officially informed the applicant, and the authorities of the exporting country and the Union industry, of the initiation of the partial interim review investigation. Interested parties were given the opportunity to make their views known in writing and to be heard.
In order to obtain the information necessary for its investigation, the Commission sent a questionnaire to the applicant and received a reply within the deadline set for that purpose.
The Commission sought and verified all information it deemed necessary for the determination of dumping. A verification visit was carried out at the premises of the applicant.
The product concerned by this review is the same as that defined in the Regulation imposing the measures in force (Regulation (EC) No 1292/2007), namely polyethylene terephthalate (PET) film, originating in India, currently falling within CN codes ex 3920 62 19 and ex 3920 62 90.
As in previous investigations, this investigation has shown that PET film produced in India and exported to the EU and the PET film produced and sold domestically on the Indian market, as well as the PET film produced and sold in the EU by the Union producers have the same basic physical and chemical characteristics and the same basic uses.
These products are therefore considered to be alike within the meaning of Article 1(4) of the basic Regulation.
In order to establish normal value, it was first determined whether the total volume of domestic sales of the like product was representative in accordance of Article 2(2) of the basic Regulation, namely whether these sales represented 5 % of the sales volume of the product concerned exported to the EU. The Commission established that the like product was sold domestically by the applicant in overall representative volumes. This representativity test was then carried out on a type-by-type basis. It was found that two types were not sold domestically at all.
The Commission subsequently examined whether the domestic sales of the like product could be regarded as being sold in the ordinary course of trade pursuant to Article 2(4) of the basic Regulation. This was done by establishing, for the like product sold on the Indian market, the proportion of profitable domestic sales to independent customers during the RIP. It was found that more than 90 % of the domestic sales were profitable.
For the product types sold domestically and which passed the representativity test mentioned in recital 21 above, it was established that for one product type, all domestic transactions were not profitable and thus were not made in the ordinary course of trade in accordance with Article 2(4) of the basic Regulation.
For the product types which were sold in sufficient quantities and sold in the ordinary course of trade in India, normal value was established on the basis of prices paid or payable by unrelated customers pursuant to Article 2(1) of the basic Regulation. For the other types, namely the type mentioned in recital 23 above and the types not sold domestically, normal value was constructed on the basis of the costs of manufacturing incurred by the applicant for the exported model in question plus a reasonable amount for sales, general and administrative (SG&A) costs and for profit in accordance with Article 2(3) of the basic Regulation.
Given the high level of profitable domestic sales made in the ordinary course of trade, the SG&A costs and the profit were based on all domestic sales of the like product on the domestic market.
In all cases where PET film was directly exported to independent customers in the EU, the export prices were established in accordance with Article 2(8) of the basic Regulation, namely on the basis of prices actually paid or payable.
For the export sales to the EU made through a related company, the export price was established on the basis of prices at which the imported products were first resold to an independent buyer in accordance with Article 2(9) of the basic Regulation.
For this purpose, adjustments were made for all costs incurred between importation and resale to the first independent customer in the Union market. A reasonable margin for SG&A costs and profit was also deducted for these sales. The percentages used to calculate the profit and the SG&A costs were in line with those reported in the Profit and Loss account of the related company.
The comparison between the weighted average normal value and the weighted average export price was made on an ex-works basis and at the same level of trade. In order to ensure a fair comparison between normal value and the export price, account was taken, in accordance with Article 2(10) of the basic Regulation, of differences in factors which were demonstrated to affect prices and price comparability. For this purpose, due allowance in the form of adjustments was made for differences in transport, insurance, handling, loading and ancillary costs, commissions, financial costs and packing costs paid by the applicant where applicable and justified.
As provided for pursuant to Article 2(11) of the basic Regulation, the weighted average normal value by type was compared with the weighted average export price of the corresponding type of the product concerned. This comparison did not show the existence of dumping.
In accordance with Article 11(3) of the basic Regulation, it was also examined whether the changed circumstances alleged by the applicant could reasonably be considered to be of a lasting nature.
The investigation showed that the indicative dumping margin calculated for the export sales of the applicant to third countries in the RIP was also negative. In terms of volume, these sales were several times higher than the export sales to the EU.
It was also found that the applicant made significant investments as from 2007 to improve its production process and to produce the basic raw material which is necessary for the production of the product concerned. These changes have resulted in, in particular, a reduction of costs and have thus explained the direct impact on the Company dumping margin. This change in circumstances can be considered to be of a lasting nature.
It was therefore considered that the circumstances that led to the initiation of this interim review are unlikely to change in the foreseeable future in a manner that would affect the findings of the present interim review. Hence, it was concluded that the changed circumstances are of a lasting nature and that the application of the anti-dumping measure at its current level is no longer justified.
In the light of the results of this review investigation, it is considered appropriate to amend the anti-dumping duty applicable to imports of the product concerned from the applicant to 0 %.
Interested parties were informed of the essential facts and considerations on the basis of which it was intended to propose to amend the duty rate applicable to the applicant and were given an opportunity to comment.
The oral and written comments submitted by the parties were considered and, where appropriate, the definitive findings have been modified accordingly,
HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:
Article 1
The table in Article 2(2) of Regulation (EC) No 1292/2007 is hereby amended by inserting the following:
‘Vacmet India Limited, Anant Plaza, IInd Floor, 4/117-2A, Civil Lines, Church Road, Agra-282002, Uttar Pradesh, India
0,0
A992’
Article 2
This Regulation shall enter into force on the day following its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.
This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.
Done at Brussels, 28 February 2011.
For the Council
The President
Fellegi T.