L 218/16 Official Journal of the European Communities 6. 8. 98 COMMISSION REGULATION (EC) No 1742/98 of 5 August 1998 imposing a provisional anti-dumping duty on imports of hardboard originating in Brazil, Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Russia and accepting undertakings offered from certain exporters in connection with those exports 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 Commun- ity ('), as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 905/98 (3, and in particular Articles 7 and 8 thereof, After consulting the Advisory Committee, Whereas: () O () O 0) A. PROCEDURE On 7 November 1997, the Commission announced, by a notice (hereinafter referred to as ‘Notice of Initiation’) published in the Official Journal of the European Communities (%), the initi- ation of an anti-dumping proceeding with regard to imports into the Community of hardboard origin- ating in Brazil, Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Russia. The proceeding was initiated as a result of a complaint lodged by the following Community producers: Atex Werke GmbH & Co. Funder Industrie GmbH, Hornitex Werk GmbH, Isoroy SA, Silva Stl, Suomen Kuitulevy OY, Swanboard AB and Techboard Ltd. These producers repres- ented a major proportion of the Community production of hardboard. 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. The Commission officially advised the complainant Community producers, exporting producers and importers known to be concerned, the represent- atives of the exporting countries as well as Com- munity users and suppliers of the initiation of the proceeding. The parties directly concerned were given the opportunity to make their views known 56, 6. 3. 1996, p. 1. J L 7 L 128, 30. 4. 1998, p. 18. J C 336, 7. 11. 1997, p. 2. 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 complainant Community producers, Community users and importers made their views known in writing. All parties who so requested within the above time limit and in- dicated that 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 five complaining Community producers, two companies in Brazil, an importer which was related to one of the Brazilian companies, two companies in Bulgaria, one company in Estonia, one company in Latvia as well as a related company located in Latvia, one company in Lithuania, six companies in Poland, and one company in Russia. The Commis- sion also received meaningful and complete replies from six unrelated importers in the Community. The Commission sought and verified all the in- formation it deemed necessary for the purpose of a preliminary determination of dumping, resulting injury and Community interest, and carried out verifications at the premises of the following companies: (a) Complainant Community producers Germany: — ATEX Werke GmbH & Co., Grafenau; France: — Tarnaise des Panneaux SA (Groupe Isoroy SA), Castres, — Saborec SA (Groupe Isoroy SA), Strasbourg; Italy: — Silva Srl, S. Michele Mondovi; Finland: — Suomen Kuitulevy OY (Finnish Fibreboard Ltd), Heinola; United Kingdom: — Techboard Ltd, Ebbw Vale. (b) Exporting producers Brazil: — Duratex SA, Sio Paulo, — Eucatex SA, Sao Paulo;