UK authority investigates Chinese tin mill product dumping

An investigation into tin mill products imported to the UK from China has been launched by the UK Trade Remedies Authority (TRA). This follows an application from Tata Steel UK asking for an anti-dumping measure to be imposed.

The TRA investigates whether trade remedy measures are needed to counter unfair trading practices and unforeseen surges of imports.

The applicant, Tata, has alleged that imports from China of tin mill products used in the canmaking industry are being dumped into the UK, and that these imports are causing injury to the UK industry.

A spokesperson for Tata Steel told The Canmaker: “It is apparent that various tin mill products have been exported from China to the UK at dumped prices, which are causing damage to the domestic industry. In view of this, we requested the Trade Remedies Authority to initiate an anti-dumping investigation into imports of these products from China.

“We believe that this investigation will address such unfair trading practices and that it will lead to fairer and more stable market conditions. This appears to be in line with experiences within the EU market who are also acting accordingly.”

The EU launched an investigation into imports of tinplated steel products from China in May, which was welcomed by the European Steel Association (EUROFER). The European Commission investigation is expected to make a provisional pre-disclosure on 15 November.

The period for the TRA investigation will be 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024. The TRA reports that during this period imports of tin mill products from China represented 5.3% of the UK market share, while the UK industry held 46% of the market.

The next step in the TRA investigation will be the publication of a statement of essential facts (SEF), which states its initial findings in the case including its expected recommendation. That is currently expected to be published around June next year.

Once the SEF is published, there is then an opportunity for interested parties to comment on it and to submit any additional evidence, a spokesperson told The Canmaker. “We then make our final recommendation to the Secretary of State as to whether we think an anti-dumping measure should be put in place or not.

“Businesses that may be affected by this investigation can register their interest through our public file by 10 October 2024. Any new case developments will be posted on the TRA’s public file,” the spokesperson added.