1.5.
Sampling
(8) In its Notice of Initiation, the Commission stated that it might sample the interested parties in accordance with Article 17 of the basic Regulation.
1.5.1.
Sampling of Union producers
(9) In its Notice of Initiation, the Commission stated that it had provisionally selected a sample of Union producers. The Commission selected the sample on the basis of the largest representative quantity of production and sales on the Union market which could be investigated within the time available. This sample consisted of the four largest Union producers in terms of production and sales. The selected sample produced and sold a very wide range of products, including the four basic product types (bars and rods, solid profiles, hollow profiles, pipes and tubes) and accounted for just under 10 % of production and sales on the Union market. The Commission invited interested parties to comment on the provisional sample.
(10) European Aluminium submitted that by basing the sample on the largest producers the full extent of the injury might not be identified. This claim was based on the fact that smaller producers represented the largest quantity of production and sales and these companies did not benefit from economies of scale like the largest producers. European Aluminium proposed two additional companies to be included in the sample, which it also claimed enabled a larger coverage of end-user markets.
(11) The Commission assessed the claim and decided to maintain its original sample. Although a few companies which could fulfil the legal criteria to be considered SMEs provided sampling information, they represented only a marginal proportion of production and sale in the Union. The smaller producers mentioned by European Aluminium were in fact too large to qualify as SMEs. Thus, the Commission had no objective reason to revise the sample or to include the two companies proposed by European Aluminium.
(12) Thus, the Commission considered that the sample was representative of the Union industry based on the information available on the case file.
1.5.2.
Sampling of importers
(13) To decide whether sampling was necessary and, if so, to select a sample, the Commission asked unrelated importers to provide the information specified in the Notice of Initiation.
(14) Six unrelated importers provided the requested information and agreed to be included in the sample. In accordance with Article 17(1) of the basic Regulation, the Commission selected a sample of two importers on the basis of the largest representative volume of sales of products under investigation originating from the People’s Republic of China during the investigation period. In accordance with Article 17(2) of the basic Regulation, all known importers concerned were consulted on the selection of the sample. The Commission received no comments in this respect.
(15) One importer (Airoldi Metalli S.p.A.) submitted that major importers, particularly from Germany, were not taking part in the investigation, which would mean that the market analysis performed by the Commission both concerning injury and dumping would not correspond to the economic reality of the industry.
(16) All importers were informed of the initiation of the investigation by the Notice of initiation published in the
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