Claire Bassett, Trade Remedies Authority (TRA) Chief
Executive Designate, updated the International Trade
Committee today on the progress that has been made to
ensure the TRA will be ready for 29 March 2019.
DIT has already recruited 70% of the future TRA’s
staff, with 90 staff now appointed.
Over one-third of those in post have now completed the
comprehensive technical training programme and are
armed with the relevant accounting, legal and economic
skills required to conduct trade remedies
investigations.
The UK system will be compliant with World Trade
Organisation rules, including for the conduct of
investigations and provisions on the calculations of
dumping and injury. There will be a statutory appeals
system for trade remedies decisions.
The TRA will launch a new website, which will allow
people to submit applications and evidence as part of
the review and investigations process. The new platform
has undergone several rounds of user and development
testing and will be ready to be launched by the time
the UK leaves the EU.
TRA Chief Executive, Claire Bassett said:
We are committed to ensuring that UK industry
continues to have the protection it needs against
injury caused by unfair trading practices, or
unforeseen surges in imports, once we have left the
EU. That is why the Department have developed an
independent trade remedies framework and I am looking
forward to leading the TRA, to deliver this.
The TRA will form a key part of the UK’s new
independent trade policy, as we prepare to take control
of our own trade agenda for the first time in more than
40 years.
The new authority will be based in Reading and will be
responsible for investigating cases of unfair trading
practices and unforeseen surges in imports that injure
UK businesses. It will be able to recommend new
measures for the protection of domestic industries.
