The Trade Remedies Authority (TRA) has begun its first
investigation in response to an application from a UK industry.
The case was initiated on Monday 21 June.
The TRA will investigate whether aluminium extrusions are
being dumped in the UK by businesses in the People’s Republic of
China.
Aluminium extrusions are commonly used in the manufacture of
heavy equipment, such as components for infrastructure projects
like mining, oil and gas, chemical and refinery equipment. They
can also be found in windows, doors and railings, cars, buses and
trains, and air conditioners, personal watercraft and medical
equipment.
Chief Executive of the Trade Remedies Authority Oliver Griffiths
said:
This investigation into potential dumping of aluminium extrusions
from China is the UK’s first new trade remedies case. We are
encouraging all parties with interests in the UK aluminium
extrusion market to contribute to our investigation into whether
dumping has occurred and whether remedies are the right answer
for the UK economy.
The TRA received an application supported by UK producers whose
collective output constitutes at least half of the total
production in the UK and has concluded that the application
includes enough evidence to justify a full investigation.
The TRA will now seek information from all interested parties in
order to establish whether aluminium extrusions have been dumped
in the UK, whether that has harmed UK industry and whether it
would be in the UK’s interests for measures to be put in place to
mitigate that harm.
The TRA was established as an independent body earlier this
month, following the passing of the Trade Act. View more information on
the launch of the authority.
View further information on how
to contribute to the investigation and on the TRA’s current case
load, including transition reviews into steel safeguard measures,
cold rolled flat steel products and HFP rebar.
Background information:
- The Trade Remedies Authority is the UK body that investigates
whether new trade remedy measures are needed to counter unfair
import practices and unforeseen surges of imports.
- The TRA is an arm’s length body of the Department of
International Trade (DIT) and launched on 1 June 2021. Before its
launch, it operated as the Trade Remedies Investigations
Directorate (TRID) of DIT.
- Trade remedy investigations were carried out by the EU
Commission on the UK’s behalf until the UK left the EU.
Forty-three 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.
- UK industries concerned about imports have been able to
submit applications for a new trade remedy measure since January
2021. These applications are considered by the TRA to see if
there are grounds for an investigation. This will be the first
investigation the TRA carries out in response to an application
from a UK industry.
- Anti-dumping measures are one of the three types of trade
remedies – along with countervailing measures against
countervailable subsidies and safeguard measures which address
sudden, unforeseen floods of imports – that are allowed by the
World Trade Organisation (WTO).
- The materials being investigated in this case are rolled,
drawn, extruded, forged or cast aluminium extrusions exported
from the People’s Republic of China, that are in the form of
bars, rods, profiles, tubes and pipes.
