EU set to impose dumping duties on Chinese TVs

BRUSSELS, Mar 31 (Reuters) The European Commission on Friday proposed applying anti-dumping duties on televisions made by seven Chinese manufacturers, saying one of the companies failed to meet conditions that exempted them all from duties.

The move came a day after the European Union and the United States said they were turning to the World Trade Organisation to resolve a row with China over car parts exports, a move which China said it regretted.

In 2002, the EU exempted the seven companies making colour televisions from the 44.6 percent anti-dumping duty after they agreed to sell only a limited number of televisions in the bloc at a minimum price.

But on Friday, a note in the EU's official journal said one of the companies, Konka Group Co Ltd, refused to allow a visit by EU inspectors and for that reason, the exemptions should be withdrawn for all seven companies.

At the time of the exemption, analysts estimated the firms - which included China's top three TV makers, Sichuan Changhong Electric Co Ltd, Konka and TCL King Electrical Appliances -- accounted for 90 percent of the domestic market.

The others are Haier Electrical Appliances Corp Ltd, Skyworth Multimedia International (Shenzhen), Xiamen Overseas Chinese Electronic Co Ltd and Hisense Import and Export Co Ltd.

The proposal by the Commission must now be approved by EU member states within the next month.

REUTERS SS RAI1819