17.4.2009 Official Journal of the European Union L 98/39 COMMISSION COMMISSION DECISION of 16 April 2009 terminating the anti-dumping proceeding concerning imports of stainless steel cold-rolled flat products originating in the People’s Republic of China, the Republic of Korea and Taiwan (2009/327EC) 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 (') (the basic Regulation), and in particular Article 9 thereof, After consulting the Advisory Committee, Whereas: 1. PROCEDURE 1.1. Initiation of the proceeding (1)~ On 1 February 2008, pursuant to Article 5 of the basic () ) Regulation, the Commission announced by a notice (notice of initiation) published in the Official Journal of the European Union (%), the initiation of an anti-dumping proceeding with regard to imports into the Community of stainless steel cold rolled flat products (SSCR), orig- inating in the People’s Republic of China (PRC), the Republic of Korea, and Taiwan (the countries concerned). The proceeding was initiated following a complaint lodged on 21 December 2007 by EUROFER (the complainant) on behalf of producers representing a major proportion, in this case more than 25 %, of the total Community production of SSCR. The complaint contained prima facie evidence of dumping of SSCR orig- inating in the countries concerned and of material injury resulting therefrom, which was considered sufficient to justify the initiation of a proceeding. 56, 6.3.1996, p. 1. 0J L 0] C 29, 1.2.2008, p. 13. ©) 1.2. Parties concerned and verification visits The Commission officially advised the complainant, all the Community producers, importer/traders and users known to be concerned and their associations, as well as the exporting producers and the authorities of the countries concerned of the initiation of the proceeding. Interested parties 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. All interested parties, who so requested and showed that there were particular reasons why they should be heard, were granted a hearing. 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 sent claim forms to the exporting producers known to be concerned as well as to the authorities of the PRC. Four groups of companies in the PRC claimed MET pursuant to Article 2(7)(b) of the basic Regulation or IT, should the investigation establish that they did not meet the conditions for MET. In view of the apparent large number of exporting producers in the PRC, the Republic of Korea, and Taiwan, of importers in the Community, and of Community producers, sampling for those parties was envisaged in the notice of initiation in accordance with Article 17 of the basic Regulation. However, for the PRC and the Republic of Korea, given that the investigation of all the cooperating companies or company groups was considered feasible within the deadlines and not unduly burdensome, it was subse- quently decided that sampling would not be necessary. For Taiwan, out of the 10 companies or company groups (one group consisted of two companies) which had replied to the sampling questions, a sample of four companies or company groups was selected. However,