The Secretary of State for Business and Trade has today (14
November 2024) accepted the TRA's recommendation to maintain
anti-dumping duties on imports of steel ropes and cables from
China, protecting the UK's £36 million industry.
This measure was among those inherited from the EU. The TRA
conducted a transition review to establish whether it was still
suitable for the UK's needs.
In its Final
Recommendation, the TRA recommended that the anti-dumping
measure on steel ropes and cables be maintained for a further
five years until 21 April 2028. The TRA has found that it is
likely that the dumping of steel ropes and cables would continue
and that injury to the UK industry in the like goods would recur
if the measure were no longer applied.
The value added to the UK economy from the production of steel
ropes and cables was over £36 million during the investigation
period (1 January 2022 to 31 December 2022). These ropes and
cables are used by a variety of downstream businesses, including
oil and gas, mining, cranes and lifting, fishing and
construction.
If the existing measure was revoked, the TRA found that imports
of steel ropes and cables from China would likely become cheaper
by up to 37.7%, which UK producers would not be able to match. As
a result, UK production would likely cease.
The TRA therefore recommended that the duty on imports of steel
ropes and cables be kept at 60.4% for all exporters to the UK and
the Secretary of State has accepted that recommendation.
Notes to editors:
- The anti-dumping measure on imports of steel ropes and cables
from China also includes those consigned from Morocco and Korea.
- The Trade Remedies Authority is the UK body that investigates
whether new trade remedies are needed to counter unfair import
practices and unforeseen surges in imports.
- Dumping occurs when goods are imported into a country and
sold at a price that is below their normal value in their country
of export.
- Trade remedy investigations were carried out by the EU
Commission on the UK's behalf until the UK left the EU. A number
of EU trade remedies of interest to UK producers were carried
across into UK law when the UK left the EU and the TRA is
currently reviewing each one to check if it is suitable for UK
needs.
