December 19, 2002	Thursday	Shawwal 14, 1423

KARACHI, Dec 18: The European Commission (EC) has started anti-dumping proceedings against bedlinen imports from Pakistan. The proceedings have been initiated on the complaint lodged by the Committee of the Cotton and Allied Textile Industries of European Community (Eurocoton).

The Eurocoton in its complaint has alleged that imports of bedlinen from Pakistan are being dumped and thereby causing material injury to the European textile industry.

A message received from Brussels, the European Commission’s headquarters and as notified in the official journal of the EC of Dec 18, 2002, the complaint was lodged on Nov 4, 2002 by the Eurocoton on behalf of producers representing more than 25 per cent of the total European industry involved in production of bedlinen.

It has been stated that the allegation of dumping against Pakistan is based on a comparison of a constructed normal value with the export prices of the product concerned to the European industry. Therefore, if calculated on this basis the dumping margin is significant.

The complainant has provided evidence that imports of the product from Pakistan have overall increased in absolute terms and in terms of market share. The Eurocoton has further alleged that the volumes and the prices of the imported product (cotton-type bedlinen) have had, among other consequences, a negative impact on the market share held by the European Community industry, resulting in substantial adverse effects on the overall performance, the financial situation and the employment situation of their industry.

After taking stock of the situation and getting sufficient evidence the EC, after consulting its Advisory Committee, has initiated proceedings in pursuance to Article 5 of the Basic Regulation of the commission.

According to the rules the EC will investigate and determine whether the product concerned is being dumped and whether this dumping has caused injury.

Before reaching any conclusion, the EC will involve a large number of Pakistani exporters in the proceedings and may apply sampling in accordance with Article 17 of the Basic Regulation.

Therefore, the Commission has also asked all Pakistani exporters, producers, or representatives acting on their behalf to provide necessary information concerning their company and exports direct to the Commission within a period of two weeks.

All those exporters and manufacturers of bedlinen will have to give their name, address, e-mail address, telephone and fax or telex numbers and contact person.

They will also disclose the volume in tons of the production of the product concerned during the period Oct 1, 2001 to Sept 30, 2002. Their turnover in local currency and the volume in tonnes of the product concerned sold for export to the EU during the period Oct 1, 2001 to Sept 30, 2002.

Furthermore, the turnover in local currency and the sales volume in tons of the product concerned on the domestic market during this period and whether the company intends to claim an individual margin (individual margins can only be claimed by producers).