TRA opens first scope review on glass fibre from Egypt
The TRA has initiated a scope review regarding countervailing measures on continuous filament glass fibre products imported to the UK from Egypt.
The Trade Remedies Authority (TRA) has today (Friday 7 July) initiated a scope review regarding countervailing measures on continuous filament glass fibre products imported to the UK from Egypt.
A scope review looks at whether an existing trade remedy measure’s scope is still appropriate. In this case, the scope of the original transitioned measure includes different varieties of continuous glass fibre, namely chopped strands, rovings and mats.
The TRA received an application from GRP Solutions Ltd (GRP Solutions) claiming that as countervailing measures on mats made of glass fibre filaments from China (excluding mats of glass wool) were revoked as part of a previous transition review (TS0009), duties should also be removed in respect of the same goods imported from Egypt.
While the transition review into continuous filament glass fibre products from China found that the measure should be kept on imports of chopped strands and rovings, it found no evidence of mats being produced in the UK. Therefore, GRP Solutions has argued if the measure was revoked for this reason on mats from China, it should also be revoked on mats from Egypt.
Having assessed the application, the TRA considers that GRP Solutions has provided sufficient evidence to warrant a scope review.
Once the TRA has carried out the scope review, it will publish a Statement of Essential Facts that will set out its recommendation, on which interested parties will be invited to comment and provide evidence. The TRA will then consider these comments before reaching a final decision, which will be submitted to the Secretary of State.
Further information on how and why the TRA undertakes scope reviews can be found in our operational guidance.
Anyone interested in taking part in the review can register their interest through the Trade Remedies Service by 22 July 2023.
Note to editors:
- The TRA is the UK body that investigates whether trade remedy measures are needed to counter unfair import practices and unforeseen surges of imports.
- 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 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.
- Countervailing measures on continuous filament glass fibre products imported from Egypt were transitioned to the UK when it left the EU. The TRA intends to launch a transition review of the whole measure at a later date.