6.4.2006 Official Journal of the European Union L 98/3 COMMISSION REGULATION (EC) No 553/2006 of 23 March 2006 imposing a provisional anti-dumping duty on imports of certain footwear with uppers of leather originating in the People’s Republic of China and Vietnam 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) ('), in particular Article 7 thereof, After consulting the Advisory Committee, Whereas: 1. PROCEDURE 1.1. Initiation of the proceeding On 7 July 2005, 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 concerning imports into the Community of certain footwear with uppers of leather originating in the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and Vietnam. The anti-dumping proceeding was initiated following a complaint lodged on 30 May 2005 by the European Confederation of the Footwear industry (CEC) on behalf of producers representing a major proportion, in this case more than 40 %, of the total Community production of certain footwear with uppers of leather. 1.2. Parties concerned and verification visits The Commission officially advised the exporting producers in the PRC and Vietnam and the impor- ters/traders known to be concerned, the representatives of the exporting countries concerned, the complainant Community producers and their associations of the initiation of the proceeding. The 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. In view of the high number of Chinese and Vietnamese exporting producers and Community producers, sampling was envisaged in the notice of initiation for the determination of dumping and injury, in accordance with Article 17 of the basic Regulation. It should be noted that no sampling was applied for the importers and the traders in the Community, which were all asked to cooperate. () OJ L 56, 6.3.1996, p. 1. Regulation as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 2117/2005 (O] L 340, 23.12.2005, p. 17). () O] C 166, 7.7.2005, p. 14.