The Government has accepted the TRA's recommendation to keep an anti-dumping measure on imports of steel ropes and cables from China.
The Secretary of State for Business and Trade has today (14 November 2024) accepted the TRA's recommendation to maintain anti-dumping duties on imports of steel ropes and cables from China, protecting the UK's £36 million industry.
This measure was among those inherited from the EU. The TRA conducted a transition review to establish whether it was still suitable for the UK's needs.
In its Final Recommendation , the TRA recommended that the anti-dumping measure on steel ropes and cables be maintained for a further five years until 21 April 2028. The TRA has found that it is likely that the dumping of steel ropes and cables would continue and that injury to the UK industry in the like goods would recur if the measure were no longer applied.
The value added to the UK economy from the production of steel ropes and cables was over £36 million during the investigation period (1 January 2022 to 31 December 2022). These ropes and cables are used by a variety of downstream businesses, including oil and gas, mining, cranes and lifting, fishing and construction.
If the existing measure was revoked, the TRA found that imports of steel ropes and cables from China would likely become cheaper by up to 37.7%, which UK producers would not be able to match. As a result, UK production would likely cease.
The TRA therefore recommended that the duty on imports of steel ropes and cables be kept at 60.4% for all exporters to the UK and the Secretary of State has accepted that recommendation.
Notes:
- The anti-dumping measure on imports of steel ropes and cables from China also includes those consigned from Morocco and Korea.
- The Trade Remedies Authority is the UK body that investigates whether new trade remedies are needed to counter unfair import practices and unforeseen surges in imports.
- Dumping occurs when goods are imported into a country and sold at a price that is below their normal value in their country of export.
- 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 remedies 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.
