KARACHI, Dec 24: The Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) has advised the exporters of bedlinen to submit the questionnaires with the Director General for Trade, European Union, by January 27, 2003.

The EPB has made this advice at a meeting of the Pakistani exporters of bedlinen to the European Union. The meeting was chaired by the chairman, EPB Tariq Ikram, along with senior director general (TQM) and the chairman of the Quota Supervisory Council.

The time limit for parties to make themselves known to the European Commission and to request a questionnaire is not later than 2nd January 2003.

The meeting considered a response from Pakistani exporters to contest allegation of dumping in the EU market.

The meeting took note of the fact that the European Commission had received a complaint, under Article 5 of the Council Regulation on anti-dumping, alleging that imports of cotton-type bedlinen, originating from Pakistan, are being dumped in the EU market, thereby causing material injury to the community industry.

The complaint was lodged on November 4, 2002 by the Committee of the Cotton and Allied Textile Industries of the EU (EUROCOTON) on behalf of EU producers representing a major proportion, in the instant case more than 25pc, of the total EU production of the cotton-type bedlinen.

The product allegedly being dumped is bedlinen of cotton fibers, pure or mixed with man-made fibre or flax (flax not being the dominant fiber), bleached, dyed or printed, originating from Pakistan, classifiable within CN codes ex 6302 21 00, ex 6302 22 90 ex 6302 31 10, ex 6302 31 90 and ex 6302 32 90.

The European Commission has determined that there is sufficient evidence to justify the initiation of anti-dumping proceedings under Article 5 of the Basic Regulation.

The period of investigation is October 1, 2001 to September 30, 2002 in view of the large number of parties involved, the Commission has requested all interested Pakistan exporters/ producers to make themselves known by contacting the Commission and providing the following information of their company:

• Name, address, E-mail, telephone, fax/ telex numbers and contact person.

• The volume in tons of production during the investigation period.

• The turn-over in local currency and the volume in tons sold for export to EU during the period of investigation.

• The turnover in local currency and the sales volume in tons in the domestic market during the investigation period.

• Whether the company intends to claim an individual margin (individual margin can only be claimed by producers).

• The precise activities by the company with regard to production.

• The names and the precise activities of all related companies involved in the production and/or selling (export and/ or domestic).

• An indication whether the company agrees to its inclusion in the sample, which implies answering a questionnaire and accepting on-the-spot investigation of their response.

All submissions and requests by interested parties must be made in writing, addressed to the Commission.—APP