24.1.98 Official Journal of the European Communities L 19/23 COMMISSION REGULATION (EC) No 178/98 of 23 January 1998 imposing a provisional anti-dumping duty on imports of potassium perman- ganate originating in India and the Ukraine 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 (%), and in particular Article 7 thereof, After consulting the Advisory Committee, Whereas: A. PROCEDURE In April 1997, the Commission announced by 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 potassium permanganate originating in India and the Ukraine and commenced an investigation. The proceeding was initiated as a result of a complaint lodged in March 1997 by the European Chemical Industry Council (CEFIC), on behalf of Community producers representing the total Community production of potassium permangante. The complaint contained evidence of dumping of the said product and of material injury resulting therefrom, which was considered sufficient to justify the initiation of a proceeding. The Commission officially advised the producers, exporting producers and importers known to be concerned, the representatives of the exporting countries and the complainant, of the initiation of the proceeding. The parties directly concerned were given the opportunity to make their views known in writing and to request a hearing within the time limit set in the notice of initiation. A number of exporting producers in the countries concerned, as well as Community producers, Community users and importers made their views known in writing. All parties who so requested within the above time limit and indicated that () OJ L 56, 6. 3. 1996, p. 1. () OJ L 317, 6. 12. 1996, p. 1. () OJ C 130, 26. 4. 1997, p. 4. there were particular reasons why they should be heard were granted a hearing. The Commission sent questionnaires to all parties known to be concerned and received replies from the complaining Community producers, from one company in India, from one company in the Ukraine and from one company in the USA (ori- ginally envisaged as a possible analogue country for the Ukraine). The Commission also received replies from unrelated importers in the Community, one of which was considered mean- ingful and complete. The Commission sought and verified all the infor- mation it deemed necessary for the purpose of a preliminary determination of dumping, injury and Community interest, and carried out verifications at the premises of the following companies: (@) Community producers — Chemie GmbH Bitterfeld-Wolfen, Bitter- feld, Germany, — Industrial Quimica del Nalén, Oviedo, Spain; (b) Producers/exporters in the exporting countries India — Universal Chemicals and Industries Pvt. Ltd, Mumbai; (c) Producer located in the USA, originally envis- aged as analogue country — Carus Chemical Company, Peru, Illinois. The investigation of dumping covered the period 1 April 1996 to 31 March 1997 (hereinafter referred to as ‘the investigation period’). The examination of injury and Community interest covered the period 1 January 1992 up to the end of the investigation period (hereinafter referred to as ‘the period exam- ined). B. PRODUCT UNDER CONSIDERATION AND LIKE PRODUCT 1. Product under consideration The product under consideration is potassium permanganate which has the chemical formula KMnO,. It falls within CN code 2841 61 00.