The Trade Remedies Authority (TRA) has today (27 August 2024)
published its
initial findings on two transition
reviews into anti-dumping and
countervailing measures on
lorry and bus tyres imported from China.
In its initial findings, the
TRA has recommended raising the duties paid
by the majority of Chinese tyre exporters in
order to protect the UK's tyre retreading industry,
which competes with imported new
tyres from injury.
According to
the British Tyre Manufacturers' Association, the UK's
retreading industry is estimated to contribute around £230
million to the UK economy each year and supports 5,500 UK jobs.
The TRA has assessed evidence that historically, many of the
tyres imported into the UK from China have been lower quality,
“single-use” tyres which are less likely to
be retreadable. If the measures were removed, it is
likely that imports of these lower quality tyres would increase
and cause injury to UK industry. This would also be detrimental
to the environment as fewer of these tyres would be recycled
through the retreading process.
Based on evidence provided, the
TRA has recommended that the new combined
anti-dumping and countervailing duty rates range
from £10.03 per tyre to £110.11 per
tyre.
The Hankook Group, which participated in the
transition review, would pay £10.03 per
tyre in duties, while those
exporters that did not cooperate would pay
the residual rate of £110.11 per tyre.
Businesses that may be affected by these reviews are invited to
comment on the TRA's initial findings via the TRA's online
case platform by 17 September 2024.
You can follow all new case developments on the TRA's
public file.
Notes to editors:
• The tyres investigated during these reviews are pneumatic
rubber tyres, new or retreaded, and used for buses or
lorries, with a load index exceeding 121.
• The Trade Remedies Authority is the independent UK body
that investigates whether new trade remedy measures are needed to
counter unfair trading practices and unforeseen surges
of imports.
• The TRA is an arm's length body of the Department for
Business and Trade.
• Trade remedy investigations were carried out by the EU
Commission on the UK's behalf until the UK left the EU. EU trade
remedy measures 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 assess whether it is suitable for UK needs.
• Anti-dumping duties allow a country or union to act
against goods which are being sold at less than their normal
value – this is defined as the price for ‘like goods' sold in the
exporter's home market.
• Countervailing, or subsidy duties, counteract imports
being subsidised by their place of origin that cause material
injury to a domestic industry.
