Europe Puts Duty on VCRs From S. Korea, Japan

The European Economic Community today slapped provisional anti-dumping duties on exports of video cassette recorders from South Korea and Japan after complaints by domestic manufacturers.

The duties follow a surge in VCR exports to the EEC since 1985, primarily from South Korea, which tripled its VCR exports to Europe in a year, the EEC Executive Commission said.

The duties affect three South Korean companies that account for all of that country’s VCR exports, including Daewoo, Goldstar and Samsung. The Japanese companies affected are Funai and Orion.

The commission said South Korea’s VCR exports to Europe surged from 75,000 in 1985 to 425,000 in 1986 and 1.22 million last year.

Imports from the two Japanese companies more than doubled to 991,000 units in 1986, from 466,000 in 1985.

The commission began its probe in September, 1987, after a complaint by an EEC industry association representing producers of consumer electronics.