19.5.98 Official Journal of the European Communities L 148/33 (Acts whose publication is not obligatory) COMMISSION COMMISSION DECISION of 6 May 1998 rejecting the application submitted by Techno Cycles (France) for an exemption pursuant to Commission Regulation (EC) No 88/97 from the anti-dumping duty extended to certain bicycle parts originating in the People’s Republic of China (98/336/EC) THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, 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 ('), as amended by Regulation (EC) No 2331/ 96 (), Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 71/97 of 10 January 1997 extending the definitive anti-dumping duty imposed by Regulation (EEC) No 2474/93 on bicycles originating in the People’s Republic of China to imports of certain bicycle parts from the People’s Republic of China, and levying the extended duty on such imports registered pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 703/96 (%), Having regard to Commission Regulation (EC) No 88/97 of 20 January 1997 on the authorisation of the exemption of imports of certain bicycle parts originating in the People’s Republic of China from the extension by Council Regulation (EC) No 71/97 of the anti-dumping duty imposed by Council Regulation (EEC) No 2474/ 93 (*), and in particular Article 7(3) thereof, () OJ L 56, 6. 3. 1996, p. 1. () OJ L 317, 6. 12. 1996, p. 1. () OJ L 16, 18. 1. 1997, p. SS. (9 O L 17, 21. 1. 1997, p. 17. After consulting the Advisory Committee, Whereas: A. PROCEDURE By Regulation (EC) No 71/97, the definitive duty imposed on imports of bicycles originating in the People’s Republic of China by Regulation (EC) No 2474/93 was extended to imports of certain bicycle parts from that country (hereinafter referred to as ‘the extended anti-dumping duty)). On 26 September 1996, during the investigation leading to the adoption of Regulation (EC) No 71/97, Tekno Cycles asked to be exempted from the extended anti-dumping duty pursuant to Article 13(4) of Regulation (EC) No 384/96 (herein- after referred to as ‘the basic Regulation’). By Regulation (EC) No 88/97, the Commission declared Tekno Cycles' request for exemption admissible, initiated an investigation, and suspended payment of the customs debt incurred for the extended anti-dumping duty. In order to ascertain whether Tekno Cycles’ opera- tions fell within the scope of Article 13(2) of the basic Regulation, the Commission requested and received the necessary information from the company, which was verified at its premises on 24 and 25 February 1997. In view of the fact that Tekno Cycles had only started to assemble bicycles in March 1996, the