Brussels, 01/10/2001 (Agence Europe) - Following a proposal by the European Commission, last week the EU Council of Ministers adopted a regulation maintaining the anti-dumping measures on imports of TV cameras from Japan.
The Council originally passed formal anti-dumping duties in 1994 for these TV cameras. Following a request by the producer/exporter, Hitaschi Denshi Ltd, concerning the duties levied on its cameras (52.7% of the CIF import price to the EU border), the Commission launched an investigation in February 2000 to establish how likely a continuation of dumping activities was. Comparing the export price with the normal value showed that dumping was continuing (at a 65.8% margin). As for the potential for dumping to re-occur if the measures were abolished, the investigation showed that the producer/exporter in question has important unused manufacturing capacity and can easily increase production; also that the normal values established during the initial investigation and the open investigation were broadly identical. Moreover, the Commission felt that if the measures were abolished, the export price would probably be slashed, and Hitaschi Denshi has the necessary infrastructure in the EU to greatly increase its exports. The Commission therefore concluded that there were grounds to maintain the anti-dumping duties imposed on Hitaschi Denshi and close the investigation.