Press release

TRA progresses anti-dumping reviews on two steel products

The TRA has today published its interim findings in a transition review of an anti-dumping measure on imports of heavy plate steel from China and has also launched a transition review into anti-dumping measures on imports of corrosion resistant steels from China.

• From: Trade Remedies Authority
• Published: 2 February 2023
• Last updated: 7 February 2023 — See all updates

• TRA proposes anti-dumping measure on heavy plate steel from China be kept
• UK imports around 100 tonnes from China annually
• Review also initiated into anti-dumping measure on corrosion resistant steels

The Trade Remedies Authority (TRA) has today published its interim findings in a transition review of an anti-dumping measure on imports of heavy plate steel from China. The TRA has also launched a transition review into anti-dumping measures on imports of corrosion resistant steel from China.

Heavy plate steel imports – publication of interim findings

The TRA is assessing a trade remedy measure on imports of heavy plate from China to establish whether duties are still needed to counter dumping of these imports in the UK at prices below what they would be sold for in their home country. The TRA has proposed in its initial findings that the measure is retained on these imports until 1 March 2027. 

This measure covers certain flat products of non-alloy or alloy steel which are often used in the manufacture of construction, mining and logging equipment, in oil and gas pipelines, for ship-building and construction of bridges and buildings. The UK imports around 100 tonnes of heavy plate from China annually. 

The TRA’s interim findings 

The TRA’s interim findings are set out in its Statement of Essential Facts. The TRA has provisionally found that if the anti-dumping duties on heavy plate were removed, dumping and injury to UK producers would likely recur, and maintaining measures will benefit UK producers and their suppliers without materially harming any other UK interests. Businesses which may be affected by the investigation (such as importers or exporters of the products or UK producers of similar products) can read this report and comment via the TRA’s online case platform before 4 March. 

Oliver Griffiths, Chief Executive, TRA, says:

“Our provisional finding is that the UK should retain existing tariffs protecting domestic producers of heavy plate steel, concentrated in Motherwell and Gateshead, from unfair Chinese imports. The economic analysis has also given weight to the projected negative impacts on the upstream steel supplier if the measures were revoked.” 

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

Corrosion resistant steel imports – review initiation

Also today, the TRA has initiated a review into an anti-dumping measure on imports of corrosion resistant steels from China. These measures are among those inherited from the EU system and the TRA is reviewing them to establish whether they are still suitable for the UK’s needs. The review will establish whether the measures are needed to protect the UK industry. 

The products in scope of this review are flat rolled, iron/alloy/non alloy steel, plated or coated by hot dip galvanisation with zinc and/or aluminium and/or magnesium – this is a process which effectively makes the steel rustproof. Primarily used in the construction and automotive industries, corrosion resistant steel lends itself to various end uses, such as car structures, steel vents and fencing.

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

Register your interest in this review

The TRA’s investigation will look at a period from 1 January 2022 until 31 December 2022, while the injury period will be 1 January 2019 until 31 December 2022. You can find out more about the product types in scope of the TRA’s review on the case public file. 

Businesses that may be affected by this review (such as importers or exporters of the products or UK producers of similar products) can contribute to the review process by registering their interest in the case on the TRA’s online case platform by 15 February 2023. All new developments in the case will be posted on the TRA’s public file.

Notes 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 check if it is suitable for UK needs. View further information on our current transition reviews.
• Anti-dumping duties allow a country or union to take action 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.
• These measures are one of the three types of trade remedy measures – along with countervailing measures against countervailable subsidies and safeguard measures which address sudden, unforeseen floods of imports – that are allowed under World Trade Organisation (WTO) rules.
• Heavy plate steel: the goods being reviewed are flat products of non-alloy or alloy steel (excluding stainless steel, silicon-electrical steel, tool steel and high-speed steel), hot-rolled, not clad, plated or coated, not in coils, of a thickness exceeding 10mm and of a width of 600mm or more or of a thickness of 4.75mm or more but not exceeding 10mm and of a width of 2.05m or more.
• Corrosion resistant steels: the goods being reviewed are flat rolled, iron/alloy/non alloy steel, aluminium killed (meaning the steel has been deoxidized with aluminium, thus eliminating any reaction between carbon and oxygen during solidification), and then plated or coated by hot dip galvanisation with zinc and/or aluminium and/or magnesium.
• Period of Investigation – when we are investigating dumping and subsidy cases, we will use a period of investigation of around a year. We will aim for the end point to be as close as possible to the date of initiation. However, we will decide this on a case-by-case basis.
• Period of injury – the injury period will usually cover the period of investigation and normally the 36 months immediately before this (i.e. 48 months in total). TRA investigators look at evidence of injury over a longer period than the general period of investigation so that they can assess trends and other factors in more detail than if they looked at a single year.

Published 2 February 2023
Last updated 7 February 2023 + show all updates

1. 7 February 2023

   The deadline for comment on the Heavy Plate interim findings has been changed from 2 to 4 March 2023.

2. 2 February 2023

   First published.