26. 7. 96 Official Journal of the European Communities No L 187/47 COMMISSION REGULATION (EC) No 1465/96 of 25 July 1996 imposing a provisional anti-dumping duty on imports of certain ring binder mechanisms originating in Malaysia and 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 Commu- nity (\), and in particular Article 7 thereof, After consulting the Advisory Committee, Whereas: O] @ A. PROCEDURE 1. Initiation On 28 October 1995, 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 certain ring binder mecha- nisms originating in Malaysia and the People’s Republic of China and commenced an investiga- tion. The proceeding was initiated as a result of a complaint lodged on 18 September 1995 by Krause GmbH and Koloman Handler GmbH, whose collective output was alleged to represent 30 % of Community production of ring binder mechanisms (hereinafter refered to as ‘RBM’). The complaint contained sufficient evidence of dumping by the imports concerned and of material injury resulting therefrom to justify the initiation of an anti- dumping proceeding. 2. Investigation The Commission officially advised the exporters and importers known to be concerned, the repre- sentatives of the exporting countries and the complainant Community producers about the initi- ation of the proceeding. Interested parties were given the opportunity to make their views known in writing and to request a hearing within a set time limit. () OJ No L 6, 6. 3. 1996, p. 1. () OJ No C 284, 28. 10. 1995, p. 16. 3 ) S A number of producers in the countries concerned as well as of Community users made their views known in writing. All parties who so requested within the above time limit were granted a hearing. The investigation period for the determination of dumping ran from 1 October 1994 to 30 September 1995. The Commission sent questionnaires to all parties known to be concerned and received detailed replies from the complainant Community produ- cers, from the sole producer in Malaysia, from five Hong Kong exporters and one exporter in the United States, those five being related to Chinese producers, as well as from three importers in the Community related to the producers in the expor- ting countries concerned and five independent importers in the Community. The Commission sought and verified all the infor- mation it considered necessary for a preliminary determination of dumping and injury and carried out investigations at the premises of the following firms: (a) complainant Community producers: — Koloman Handler GmbH, Vienna (Austria), — Krause GmbH & Co. KG. Espelkamp (Germany); (b) exporters/producers: 1. Malaysia — Bensons Metal Products, Shah Alam; 2. People’s Republic of China Since all of the five Chinese producers/ exporters were related to companies in Hong Kong and/or the United States and those companies replied to the questionnaires sent to the producers/exporters in the People’s Repu- blic of China, the following related companies were subjected to on-the-spot investigations: — Champion Stationery Manufacturing Co. Ltd (Hong Kong), — Hong Kong Stationery Mfg Co. Ltd (Hong Kong), — Sun Kwong Metal Manufacturer Co. Ltd (Hong Kong),