28.2.98 Official Journal of the European Communities L 60/1 (Acts whose publication is obligatory) COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No 467/98 of 23 February 1998 imposing a definitive anti-dumping duty on imports of certain footwear with uppers of leather or plastics originating in the People’s Republic of China, Indonesia and Thailand 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 Community () and in particular Article 9(4) thereof, Having regard to the proposal submitted by the Commis- sion after consulting the Advisory Committee, Whereas: A. PROCEDURE (1)  On 22 February 1995, the Commission announced by means of a notice published in the Official Journal of the European Communities(?), the initiation of an anti-dumping proceeding with regard to imports into the Community of certain footwear with uppers of leather or plastics origin- ating in the People’s Republic of China, Indonesia and Thailand and commenced an investigation. (2)  The proceeding was initiated as a result of a complaint lodged by the European Confederation of the Footwear Industry (CEC) on behalf of national footwear federations whose complainant members (188 in total) accounted for a major proportion (namely 53 %) of the Community production of the footwear subject to this invest- igation. The complaint contained evidence of dumping of the said product and of material injury resulting therefrom which was considered suffi- cient to justify the initiation of a proceeding. (3  The Commission officially notified the exporters and importers known to be concerned and their representative associations, as well as the represent- atives of the exporting countries involved, of the (") OJ L 56, 6.3.1996, p. 1. Regulation as amended by Regula- tion (EC) No 2331/96 (OJ L 317, 6.12.1996, p. 1). () OJ C 45, 22. 2. 1995, p. 2. initiation of the proceeding. All parties directly concerned were given the opportunity to make their views known in writing and to request a hearing within the time limit set out in the notice of initiation. The authorities of the exporting countries concerned as well as a number of exporters, Community importers, their representative associ- ations and trade associations made their views known in writing. All parties who so requested within the time limit were granted a hearing. In view of the large number of Community produ- cers which were party to the complaint, and in conformity with Article 17 of Council Regulation (EC) No 384/96 (hereinafter referred to as ‘the Basic Regulation’), it was considered appropriate to limit the investigation to a number of these produ- cers which could reasonably be investigated within the time available. In this context, the question- naires used to collect data and thus permit an evaluation of any injury to the Community industry, were addressed to the national producers’ federation in the Community and to 89 of the 188 Community producers expressly supporting the complaint. Of these 89 Community producers, 87 submitted complete and meaningful replies. For verification purposes, given the difficulty in carrying out detailed on-the-spot investigations in respect of the abovementioned 87 Community producers (hereinafter referred to as ‘the first group’), 15 of those Community producers (herein- after referred to as ‘the verification sample’) were selected and their responses subjected to in-depth, on-the-spot verifications. The Commission also sent questionnaires to the following: — the Chinese, Indonesian and Thai producers/ exporters listed in the complaint,