WRITTEN QUESTION No. 2100/97 by Alexandros ALAVANOS to the Commission. Five-year extension of 39.2% duty on imports of handbags from China
C 45/156 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 10. 2. 98 (98/C 45/205) WRITTEN QUESTION E-2100/97 by Alexandros Alavanos (GUE/NGL) to the Commission (19 June 1997) Subject: Five-year extension of 39. 2% duty on imports of handbags from China The leather and travel goods sector, a traditional manufacturing industry in Greece, is undergoing a severe crisis as a result of imports from third countries › particularly those with low labour costs › which is reflected in falling employment and a declining number of businesses (approximately 25% closed down between 1992 and 1996). As a stop-gap response, the EU imposed a 39. 2% duty on handbags from China for a period of six months (1 February 1997 › 31 July 1997). Given that Chinese imports are causing extremely serious problems for the leather goods industry, what will the Commission do to extend to a period of five years the 39. 2% duty originally imposed on imports of handbags from China for six months? Answer given by Sir Leon Brittan on behalf of the Commission (16 July 1997) By means of the Regulation (EC) No 209/97 (1), published in the Official journal on 4 February 1997, the Commission imposed provisional anti-dumping duties on imports of handbags originating in China, for a period of six months. In the same Regulation, the Commission undertook to analyse further certain aspects of the Community interest of the proceeding that had not been fully ascertained before. For this purpose, the Commission invited all interested parties to present substantiated evidence on a number of relevant issues. Hearings were held in order to allow interested parties to present arguments in support of their position. The analysis of this information concludes that anti-dumping measures should be taken with respect to imports of leather handbags, in view of the fact that all the requirements laid down by the anti-dumping basic regulation are fulfilled. Concerning handbags made of plastic and textile, however, the examination of the evidence submitted shows that there are compelling reasons why measures should not be adopted on the grounds of Community interest. Namely, it is considered unlikely that Community producers will benefit from the imposition of anti-dumping measures, since it has been ascertained that importers will source from other third countries. At the same time, the negative impact on importers, distributors and traders will be substantial, in a market where more than 80% of the Community consumption is supplied by imports from China. Therefore on 2 July 1997, the Commission proposed to the Council that definitive anti-dumping measures be imposed on imports of leather handbags and that the proceeding should be terminated for plastic and textile handbags without the imposition of definitive measures. A final decision should be taken by the Council before 4 August 1997. (1) OJ L 33, 4. 2. 1997, p. 11. (98/C 45/206) WRITTEN QUESTION E-2107/97 by Ge·rard Caudron (PSE) to the Commission (23 June 1997) Subject: Harmonization of diplomas › rules governing the profession of special needs teacher It is well known that the harmonization of diplomas is essential in the interests of promoting a genuine sense of European citizenship. Regular progress has been made in this area, but as time goes by a number of professions are becoming very disillusioned with regard to the true effectiveness of European integration