TRA progresses anti-dumping reviews on two steel products

TRA proposes to maintain anti-dumping measures on heavy plate from China
The UK imports around 100 tonnes from China every year
A review of the anti-dumping measures on corrosion-resistant steels was also initiated

The Trade Remedies Authority (TRA) today published its preliminary findings of an interim review of an anti-dumping measure on imports of heavy-plate steel from China. The TRA has also opened a review of the transition to anti-dumping measures against imports of stainless steel from China.

Plate imports – publication of interim results

The TRA is currently considering a trade remedy on imports of heavy plate from China to determine whether duties are still needed to discourage dumping of these imports into the UK at prices below what they would be sold at in their home country. The TRA, in its initial findings, proposed that the measure be maintained for these imports until 1 March 2027.

This measure concerns certain flat products made of unalloyed or alloyed steel, which are widely used in the manufacture of construction, mining and forestry equipment, in oil and gas pipelines, in shipbuilding and in bridge and building construction. Great Britain imports around 100 tons of heavy plate from China every year.

The interim results of the TRA

The interim results of the TRA are set out in their Statement of Essential Facts. The TRA has provisionally concluded that if anti-dumping duties on plate were removed, dumping and injury to UK producers would be likely to recur and the continuation of the measures would benefit UK producers and their suppliers without materially affecting other UK interests. Companies that may be affected by the investigation (e.g. importers or exporters of the products or UK manufacturers of similar products) can read this report and comment via the TRA’s online case platform before Thursday 2 March.

Oliver Griffiths, Chief Executive, TRA says:

“Our preliminary finding is that the UK should maintain existing tariffs to protect domestic plate steel producers, centered in Motherwell and Gateshead, from unfair Chinese imports. The economic analysis has also given weight to the projected negative impact on the upstream steel supplier if the measures were lifted.”

Once the TRA has reviewed all further evidence, it will submit its final recommendation to the Secretary of State for International Trade, who will make a decision on whether to maintain the measure.

Imports of stainless steel – initiation of the review

Also today, the TRA opened a review of an anti-dumping measure on imports of corrosion-resistant steels from China. These measures are among those adopted by the EU scheme and the TRA is reviewing them to see if they are still appropriate for UK needs. The review will determine whether the measures to protect UK industry are necessary.

The products subject to this review are flat rolled iron/alloy/non-alloy steels, clad or coated with zinc and/or aluminum and/or magnesium by hot dip galvanizing – a process that effectively renders the steel rustproof. Corrosion resistant steel is mainly used in the construction and automotive industries and is suitable for various end uses such as: B. Car structures, steel vents and fences.

Coated steel, which includes corrosion resistant steels, is seen as a potential growth area for the UK steel industry – representing a future revenue opportunity worth almost £1bn annually through 2030.

Register your interest in this review

The TRA’s investigation will cover a period from January 1, 2022 to December 31, 2022, while the claims period is from January 1, 2019 to December 31, 2022. You can learn more about the types of goods as part of the review of the TRA on the case public file.

Companies that may be affected by this review (e.g. importers or exporters of the products or UK manufacturers of similar products) can contribute to the review process by registering their interest in the case on the Register TRA. Any new developments in the case will be published in the TRA public file.

Notes for editors

The TRA is the UK body investigating whether trade remedy measures are needed to address unfair import practices and unforeseen import surges.
Trade defense investigations were conducted by the EU Commission on behalf of the UK until the UK left the EU. A number of EU trade policy remedies of interest to UK manufacturers were incorporated into UK law when the UK left the EU and the TRA is currently reviewing each of these to see if they suit UK needs suitable is. Check out more information on our current transition exams.
Anti-dumping duties allow a country or union to take action against goods that are sold below their normal value – this is defined as the price of “like goods” sold in the exporter’s home market.
These measures are one of the three types of trade remedies permitted under World Trade Organization (WTO) rules, along with countervailing measures against countervailable subsidies and safeguards against sudden, unforeseen import surges.
Heavy plate: The goods under investigation are flat products made of unalloyed or alloyed steel (excluding stainless steel, silicon electric steel, tool steel and high-speed steel), hot-rolled, not plated, clad or coated, not in coils, with a thickness of more than 10 mm and a width of 600 mm or more or a thickness of 4.75 mm or more but not more than 10 mm and a width of 2.05 m or more.
Corrosion Resistant Steels: The goods tested are flat rolled ferrous/alloy/non-alloy steels, aluminum killed (ie the steel has been deoxidized with aluminum eliminating any reaction between carbon and oxygen during solidification) and then plated or coated with zinc and hot dip galvanizing /or aluminum and/or magnesium.
Investigation Period – When we investigate dumping and subsidy cases, we use an investigation period of approximately one year. We aim for the endpoint to be as close as possible to the initiation date. However, we decide this on a case-by-case basis.
Claim Period – The claim period typically includes the investigation period and typically the 36 months immediately preceding it (ie a total of 48 months). TRA investigators examine evidence of damage over a longer period of time than the general investigation period so they can assess trends and other factors in more detail than if they were looking at a single year.