2.8.97 Official Journal of the European Communities No L 208/31 COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No 1567/97 of 1 August 1997 imposing a definitive anti-dumping duty on \mports of leather handbags originating in the People’s Republic of China and terminating the proceeding concerning imports of plastic and textile handbags originating in the People’s Republic of China THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 384/96 of 22 December 1995 on protection against dumped imports from countries not members of the European Com- munity ('), and in particular Articles 9 (2), 9 (4) and 10 (2) thereof, Having regard to the proposal presented by the Commis- sion after consulting the Advisory Committee, Whereas: A. PROVISIONAL MEASURES (1) By Regulation (EC) No 209/97 (3 the Commission imposed a provisional anti-dumping duty on imports into the Community of handbags origin- ating in the People’s Republic of China and falling within CN codes 4202 21 00 (leather), 4202 22 10 (plastic) and 42022290 (textiles). B. SUBSEQUENT PROCEDURE (2)  Subsequent to the imposition of the provisional anti-dumping duty, the interested parties who so requested were granted an opportunity to be heard by the Commission. A number of these parties also made written submissions making their views on the findings known. (3 The Commission’s services investigated further aspects of the Community interest and sought and verified all information deemed necessary for the definitive findings. Because of the large number of parties which made themselves known well after the expiry of the deadline and the arguments raised by interested parties at a very advanced stage of the investigation and immediately after the imposition 6. 3. 1996, p. 1. . 4. 2.1997, p. 11. 4 of provisional measures, the Commission excep- tionally agreed to include these parties in the in- vestigation regarding Community interest. Upon request, parties were informed in writing of the essential facts and considerations on the basis of which it was intended to recommend both the imposition of definitive duties and the definitive collection of the amounts secured by way of provi- sional duty with respect to leather handbags, and further to terminate the proceeding with respect to plastic and textile handbags. The oral and written comments presented by the parties were considered, and, where appropriate, the Commission’s findings were modified to take account of them. C. SUPPORT FOR THE COMPLAINT Some interested parties have claimed that the complaint did not receive support from a major proportion of total Community production because there was no evidence that individual producers accounting for a major proportion gave such support. They also pointed out that the opposition of several National Federations affects the repre- sentativeness of the complainant. After examination prior to the initiation of the proceeding, it was determined that the National Federations of Belgium, France, Greece, Italy, Portugal, Spain and the United Kingdom supported the complaint. The production of their associated members accounts for a major proportion (around 70 %) of total Community production under the terms of Article 5 (4) of Regulation (EC) No 384/96 (hereinafter referred to as ‘the basic regulation’). The support of the members of the National Federations (i.e. the individual companies) was obtained by the European Committee of National Federations of the Leather, Travel Goods and Allied Industries (CEDIM) through the abovemen- tioned National Federations, which have the legal capacity to represent their members.