XN000022-1991-05-14 — Page 5

TUESDAY, MAY 14, 1991

GOVT WELCOMES EC DECISION TO END ANTI-DUMPING PROCEEDING ON TAPES

SAID

TODAY (TUESDAY)

IT HAD

AGAINST AUDIO CASSETTE

IMPORTS TAPES

THE TRADE DEPARTMENT

RECEIVED INFORMATION THAT THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES HAD ANNOUNCED TERMINATION OF THE ANTI-DUMPING PROCEEDING INTO THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC COMMUNITY (RBC) OF ORIGINATING IN HONG KONG.

"WE WELCOME THE COMMISSION'S DECISION, GENERAL OF TRADE, MR STUART HARBINSON, SAID.

THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR-

"IT MEANS THAT HONG KONG'S EXPORTS OF AUDIO TAPES WILL NOT BE SUBJECT TO ANY ANTI-DUMPING DUTIES.

TO

THE

BEC

PROVIDED BY DUTIES

"IN ADDITION, ANY SECURITY WHICH HAS ALREADY BEEN OUR COMPANIES TO GUARANTEE PAYMENT OF PROVISIONAL ANTI-DUMPING WILL BE RELEASED IMMEDIATELY," HE SAID.

MR HARBINSON SAID THE EEC INITIATED ANTI-DUMPING PROCEEDINGS SOUTH KOREA ON IMPORTS OF AUDIO CASSETTE TAPES ORIGINATING IN JAPAN, AND HONG KONG ON JANUARY 14, 1989.

FIVE HONG KONG COMPANIES PARTICIPATED IN THE INVESTIGATION FOUR WERE SUBSEQUENTLY EXONERATED.

AND

DID NOT

2.4

ON

THE FIFTH, AS WELL AS OTHER HONG KONG COMPANIES WHICH

DUTY OF PARTICIPATE, WERE SUBJECT TO A PROVISIONAL ANTI-DUMPING PER CENT WHEN THE COMMISSION ANNOUNCED THE PROVISIONAL REGULATIONS NOVEMBER 14 LAST YEAR,

"THE TRADE DEPARTMENT WAS NEVER CONVINCED THAT THE PROVISIONAL

HONG KONG ANTI-DUMPING DUTIES SHOULD HAVE BEEN IMPOSED ON

COMPANIES IN THE FIRST PLACE,' MR HARBINSON SAID.

"IMPORTS OF AUDIO CASSETTE TAPES FROM HONG KONG ACCOUNTED ONLY ABOUT 1.5 PER CENT OF THE EEC'S MARKET.

FOR

"FURTHERMORE, THE COMMISSION'S OWN INVESTIGATIONS FOUR OF THE FIVE COMPANIES INVESTIGATED WERE NOT DUMPING.

SHOWED THAT

FROM HONG KONG COULD HAVE CAUSED ANY SIGNIFICANT INDUSTRY, HE SAID.

"AGAINST THIS BACKGROUND, IT WAS HARD TO BELIEVE THAT IMPORTS

ΤΟ INJURY

THE BEC

MR HARBINSON SAID: "WE HAVE CONSISTENTLY PUT THESE POINTS ACROSS TO THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION

NATURALLY PLEASED THAT, APPARENTLY, OUR ARGUMENTS HAVE EVENTUALLY BEEN ACCEPTED.

AND ARE

"IN FAIRNESS, THE CASE ALSO GOES TO SHOW IS NOT IMPERVIOUS TO RATIONAL ARGUMENTS.

THAT

THE COMMISSION

COMMIS

■

UNDER THE GENERAL AGREEMENT ON TARIFFS AND TRADE (GATT)

IS NECESSARY TO SHOW ANTI-DUMPING RULES IT

BOTH DUMPING AND INJURY CAUSED BY THE DUMPING BEFORE ANTI-DUMPING DUTIES CAN BE LEVIED.

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