L 388 Official Journal of the European Communities 8.2.2001 COMMISSION REGULATION (EC) No 255/2001 of 7 February 2001 imposing a provisional anti-dumping duty on imports of integrated electronic compact fluorescent lamps (CFL-i) originating in the People's Republic of China 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 last amended by Regulation (EC) No 2238/2000 (3, and in partic- ular Article 7 thereof, After consulting the Advisory Committee, Whereas: A. PROCEDURE 1. Initiation (1)  On 17 May 2000, the Commission announced by a notice (notice of initiation’) published in the Official Journal of the European Communities (%), the initiation of an anti-dumping proceeding with regard to imports into the Community of integrated electronic compact fluores- cent lamps originating in the People's Republic of China (PRC). (2)  The proceeding was initiated following a complaint lodged on 4 April 2000 by the European Lighting Companies Federation (the complainant) on behalf of Community producers representing a major proportion of Community production of compact fluorescent lamps (integrated). The complaint contained evidence of dumping of the said product and of material injury resulting therefrom, which was considered sufficient, after consultation, to justify the initiation of a proceeding. (3)  The Commission officially advised the exporting produ- cers and importers/traders known to be concerned as well as their associations, the representatives of the exporting countries concerned, users, suppliers and the complainant Community producers, of the initiation of the proceeding. Interested parties were given the oppor- tunity to make their views known in writing and to request a hearing within the time limit set in the notice of initiation. (4) A number of parties made their views known in writing. All parties who so requested within the above time limit and showed that there were particular reasons why they () O] L 56, 6.3.1996, p. 1. () O] L 257, 11.10.2000, p. 2. () O] C 138, 17.5.2000, p. 8. should be heard were granted the opportunity to be heard orally. In view of the large number of Chinese exporting produ- cers and Community importers listed in the complaint, the Commission decided to apply sampling in accord- ance with Article 17 of Regulation (EC) No 384/96 (‘the basic Regulation’). In order to enable the Commission to decide whether sampling would be necessary and, if so, to select a sample, all exporting producers, as well as related and unrelated importers were requested to make themselves known to the Commission and to provide, as specified in the notice of initiation, basic information on their activities related to the product concerned during the investigation period. After examination of the information submitted by exporting producers and by unrelated importers in the Community, and due to the low level of cooperation from the Chinese exporting producers and the unrelated importers in the Community, it was decided that sampling was not necessary. In order to allow exporting producers in the PRC to submit a claim for market economy treatment (MET) or individual treatment (IT’), if they so wished, the Commission services sent claim forms to the Chinese exporting producers known to be concerned. Claims for MET and IT were received from 10 exporting producers and two others claimed only IT. The Commission sent questionnaires to parties known to be concerned and to all the other companies that made themselves known within the deadlines set out in the notice of initiation. Replies were received from the three complaining Community producers, five unrelated importers in the Community, 12 exporting producers with manufacturing facilities in the PRC, one related importer in the Community and one producer in the analogue country. The Commission sought and verified all the information it deemed necessary for the purposes of a preliminary determination of dumping, injury and Community interest. Verification visits were carried out at the premises of the following companies: A. Exporting producers — Changzhou Hailong Electronics & Light Fixtures Co. Ltd, Changzhou