L 255/8 Official Journal of the European Communities 30.9.1999 COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No 2049/1999 of 27 September 1999 amending Regulation (EC) No 2450/98 imposing a definitive countervailing duty on imports of stainless steel bars originating in India and collecting definitively the provisional duty imposed THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 2026/97 of 6 October 1997 on protection against subsidised imports from countries not members of the European Community (!), and in particular Articles 15 and 20 thereof, Having regard to the proposal submitted by the Commission after consulting the Advisory Committee, Whereas: () ) 0] 0] A. PREVIOUS PROCEDURE By Regulation (EC) No 2450/98 (?), the Council imposed a definitive countervailing duty on imports of stainless steel bars (hereinafter referred to as ‘the product con- cerned) falling within CN codes 72222011, 72222021, 7222 20 31 and 7222 20 81 originating in India. The measures took the form of ad valorem duties of between 0 and 25,5 % with a residual duty of 25,5 %. B. CURRENT PROCEDURE 1. Request for review Subsequent to the imposition of definitive measures, the Commission received a request for the initiation of an accelerated review of Regulation (EC) No 2450/98, pursuant to Article 20 of Regulation (EC) No 2026/97 (hereinafter referred to as ‘the basic Regulation’), from two Indian producers, Sindia Steels Ltd and Meltroll Engineering Pvt. Ltd, both located in Bombay. The companies concerned claimed that they were not related to any other exporters of the product concerned in India. Furthermore, they claimed that they had not exported the product concerned to the Community during the original period of investigation (1 July 1996 to 30 June 1997), but had exported the product concerned to the Community since then. Both companies requested the establishment of an indi- vidual rate of duty. In the case of Sindia Steels Ltd, this company had made itself known during the original investigation, but as it had not exported to the Community during the investigation period, it was al- located a weightedaverage countervailing duty of 22,1 %. Meltroll Engineering Pvt. Ltd has been subject to the residual 25,5 % countervailing duty. L 288, 21.10.1997, p. 1. L 304, 14.11.1998, p. 1. 2. Initiation of an accelerated review The Commission examined the evidence submitted by the two Indian exporting producers concerned and considered it sufficient to justify the initiation of a review in accordance with the provisions of Article 20 of the basic Regulation. After consultation of the Advisory Committee and after the Community industry concerned had been given the opportunity to comment, the Commission initiated, by a notice in the Official Journal (), an accelerated review of Regulation (EC) No 2450/98 with regard to the companies concerned and commenced its investigation. 3. Product concerned The product covered by the current review is the same product as that under consideration in Regulation (EC) No 2450/98. 4. Parties concerned The Commission officially advised the two companies concerned and the Government of India. Furthermore, it gave other parties directly concerned the opportunity to make their views known in writing and to request a hearing. However, no such request was received by the Commission. The Commission sent a questionnaire to the companies concerned and received full replies within the deadline. The Commission sought and verified all information it deemed necessary for the purpose of the investigation and carried out verification visits at the premises of the companies concerned. 5. Investigation period The investigation of subsidisation covered the period from 1 January 1998 to 31 December 1998 (hereinafter referred to as ‘the investigation period). 6. Methodology The same methodology as that used in the original investigation was applied in the current investigation. C. SCOPE OF THE REVIEW This review was limited to calculating the amount of subsidisation granted to Sindia Steels Ltd and Meltroll Engineering Pvt. Ltd. () O] C 19, 23.1.1999, p. 17.