COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING REGULATION (EU) 2023/1330
of 29 June 2023
imposing a definitive anti-dumping duty on imports of certain lightweight thermal paper originating in the Republic of Korea following an expiry review pursuant to Article 11(2) of Regulation (EU) 2016/1036 of the European Parliament and of the Council
1.
PROCEDURE
1.1.
Previous investigations and measures in force
1.2.
Request for an expiry review
1.3.
Initiation of an expiry review
1.4.
Review investigation period and period considered
1.5.
Interested parties
1.6.
Comments on initiation
1.7.
Sampling
1.7.1.
Sampling of Union producers
1.7.2.
Sampling of importers
1.8.
Replies to the questionnaire
1.9.
Verification
1.10.
Subsequent procedure
1.11.
Presentation of data
2.
PRODUCT UNDER REVIEW, PRODUCT CONCERNED AND LIKE PRODUCT
2.1.
Product under review
2.2.
Product concerned
2.3.
Like product
2.4.
Claims regarding product scope
3.
DUMPING
3.1.
Preliminary remarks
3.2.
Continuation of dumping during the review investigation period
3.2.1.
Normal value
3.2.2.
Export price
3.2.3.
Comparison
3.2.4.
Dumping margin
3.3.
Likelihood of continuation of dumping should measures be repealed
3.3.1.
Production capacity and spare capacity in the Republic of Korea
3.3.2.
Attractiveness of the Union market versus other markets
3.3.3.
Conclusion on the likelihood of continuation of dumping
4.
INJURY
4.1.
Definition of the Union industry and Union production
4.2.
Union consumption
|
2018 |
2019 |
2020 |
RIP |
Total Union consumption |
179 500 –184 000 |
170 000 –174 500 |
165 500 –170 000 |
177 000 –181 500 |
Index |
100 |
94 |
92 |
98 |
Source: Eurostat, Questionnaire replies and Request. |
4.3.
Imports from the country concerned
4.3.1.
Volume and market share of the imports from the country concerned
|
2018 |
2019 |
2020 |
RIP |
Volume of imports from the country (tonnes) |
2 500 –4 000 |
1 500 – 3 000 |
1 000 – 2 500 |
4 500 – 6 000 |
Index |
100 |
64 |
48 |
165 |
Market share |
1,6 % |
1,1 % |
0,9 % |
2,7 % |
Index |
100 |
68 |
53 |
167 |
Source: Dumping questionnaire and Eurostat. |
4.3.2.
Prices of the imports from the country concerned and price undercutting
|
2018 |
2019 |
2020 |
RIP |
Average price of imports from Republic of Korea |
1 800 – 2 000 |
1 550 – 1 750 |
1 450 – 1 650 |
1 450 – 1 650 |
Index |
100 |
91 |
82 |
81 |
Source: Dumping questionnaire and Eurostat. |
4.4.
Imports from third countries other than the Republic of Korea
Country |
|
2018 |
2019 |
2020 |
RIP |
PRC |
Volume (tonnes) |
6 000 -7 500 |
4 500 -6 000 |
3 500 -5 000 |
3 500 -5 000 |
|
Index |
100 |
80 |
62 |
48 |
|
Market share |
3,5 % |
3,0 % |
2,4 % |
1,7 % |
|
Index |
100 |
85 |
67 |
49 |
|
Average price (EUR/tonne |
1 500 -1 650 |
1 600 -1 750 |
1 500 -1 650 |
1 500 -1 650 |
|
Index |
100 |
104 |
96 |
96 |
USA |
Volume (tonnes) |
2 850 -3 000 |
2 350 -2 500 |
2 850 -3 000 |
3 000 -3 150 |
|
Index |
100 |
84 |
100 |
105 |
|
Market share |
1,6 % |
1,4 % |
1,7 % |
1,7 % |
|
Index |
100 |
89 |
109 |
107 |
|
Average Price (EUR/tonne) |
2 400 -2 550 |
2 950 -3 100 |
2 950 -3 100 |
2 800 -2 950 |
|
Index |
100 |
122 |
120 |
115 |
Total of all third countries except the country concerned |
Volume (tonnes) |
10 000 -11 500 |
9 500 -11 000 |
9 000 -10 500 |
9 000 -10 500 |
|
Index |
100 |
93 |
87 |
90 |
|
Market share |
5,8 % |
5,7 % |
5,5 % |
5,3 % |
|
Index |
100 |
98 |
95 |
91 |
|
Average price (EUR/tonne) |
1 950 – 2 150 |
2 250 –2 450 |
2 250 –2 450 |
2 450 – 2 650 |
|
Index |
100 |
115 |
118 |
126 |
Source: Eurostat. |
4.5.
Economic situation of the Union industry
4.5.1.
General remarks
4.5.2.
Macroeconomic indicators
4.5.2.1.
Production, production capacity and capacity utilisation
|
2018 |
2019 |
2020 |
RIP |
Production volume (tonnes) |
399 607 |
392 619 |
348 216 |
360 727 |
Index |
100 |
98 |
87 |
90 |
Production capacity (tonnes) |
563 021 |
581 338 |
640 533 |
633 474 |
Index |
100 |
103 |
114 |
113 |
Capacity utilisation |
71 % |
68 % |
54 % |
57 % |
Index |
100 |
95 |
77 |
80 |
Source: Injury questionnaire and Request. |
4.5.2.2.
Sales volume and market share
|
2018 |
2019 |
2020 |
RIP |
Sales volume on the Union market (tonnes) |
168 151 |
159 905 |
156 357 |
164 118 |
Index |
100 |
95 |
93 |
98 |
Market share |
92,6 % |
93,2 % |
93,7 % |
92,0 % |
Index |
100 |
101 |
101 |
99 |
Source: Injury questionnaire, Request and Eurostat. |
4.5.2.3.
Growth
4.5.2.4.
Employment and productivity
|
2018 |
2019 |
2020 |
RIP |
Number of employees |
1 080 |
1 057 |
951 |
870 |
Index |
100 |
98 |
88 |
81 |
Productivity (tonnes/employee) |
370 |
371 |
366 |
415 |
Index |
100 |
100 |
99 |
112 |
Source: Injury questionnaire and Request. |
4.5.2.5.
Magnitude of the dumping margin and recovery from past dumping
4.5.3.
Microeconomic indicators
4.5.3.1.
Prices and factors affecting prices
|
2018 |
2019 |
2020 |
RIP |
Average unit sales price in the Union on the total market |
1 721 |
1 729 |
1 525 |
1 518 |
Index |
100 |
100 |
89 |
88 |
Unit cost of production |
1 557 |
1 504 |
1 377 |
1 453 |
Index |
100 |
97 |
88 |
93 |
Source: Injury questionnaire. |
4.5.3.2. Labour costs
|
2018 |
2019 |
2020 |
RIP |
Average labour costs per employee (EUR) |
61 576 |
68 809 |
74 604 |
75 027 |
Index |
100 |
112 |
121 |
122 |
Source: Injury questionnaire. |
4.5.3.3.
Inventories
|
2018 |
2019 |
2020 |
RIP |
Closing stocks (tonnes) |
17 878 |
18 452 |
15 810 |
16 082 |
Index |
100 |
103 |
88 |
90 |
Closing stocks as a percentage of production |
5,3 % |
5,5 % |
5,2 % |
5,0 % |
Index |
100 |
105 |
100 |
96 |
Source: Injury questionnaire. |
4.5.3.4.
Profitability, cash flow, investments, return on investments and ability to raise capital
|
2018 |
2019 |
2020 |
RIP |
Profitability of sales in the Union to unrelated customers (% of sales turnover) |
11,3 % |
14,8 % |
12,2 % |
6,6 % |
Index |
100 |
131 |
108 |
59 |
Cash flow (EUR) |
87 661 559 |
87 198 733 |
67 116 931 |
41 474 900 |
Index |
100 |
99 |
77 |
47 |
Investments (EUR) |
34 123 041 |
58 784 540 |
61 376 912 |
6 839 111 |
Index |
100 |
172 |
180 |
20 |
Return on investments |
104 % |
50 % |
25 % |
24 % |
Index |
100 |
49 |
24 |
24 |
Source: Injury questionnaire. |