Brussels, 02/02/2000 (Agence Europe) - The Council of the Union has decided to abolish the definitive anti-dumping duties introduced in 1991 on certain imports of pocket lighters originating in Japan. At the end of a review engaged just before the deadline for the measure in 1996, the Fifteen did not manage to agree on whether or not to introduce a new definitive duty, although the European Commission had referred to the great likelihood of the re-emergence of dumping harmful to the Community industry. The dual consequence of this decision not to decide is said to have been to drag out the review procedure and the existing measure ad infinitum. Its repeal was thus decided to "avoid the review procedure being abnormally long and the anti-dumping measure remaining in force for an undetermined period", a regulation published in the Official Journal No.L/22 of 27 January stipulates.