The Trade Remedies Authority (TRA) has today (Monday 22 May) initiated a transition review into anti-dumping and countervailing measures on electric bicycles (e-bikes) imported from China.
The goods being investigated are classified as cycles, with pedal assistance, with an auxiliary electric motor.
Sales of e-bikes in the UK reached an estimated £310 million in 2022, compared with £150 million in 2017, and are expected to grow further in the coming years.
As part of the transition review, the TRA will determine whether dumping would be likely to continue or recur if the measures were no longer applied, and whether injury to the UK industry would be likely to continue or recur if the measures were no longer applied.
For the first time, the TRA will carry out a consumer survey as part of its assessment of how measures on these imports would affect the overall UK economy. The survey will target e-bike customers, helping the TRA assess consumer sensitivity to e-bike prices.
TRA Chief Executive Oliver Griffiths said: "Sales of e-bikes have been growing rapidly in the UK and are now worth over £300 million per year. We will be investigating whether existing trade remedy measures are still justified to protect UK producers, taking into account the extra costs that the measures place on consumers."
The investigation will cover the period from 01 April 2022 to 31 March 2023. In order to assess injury, the TRA will examine the period from April 2019 to March 2022.
Businesses that may be affected by the review (such as importers or exporters of the products or UK producers of similar products) can contribute to the review by registering on the TRA's online case platform. They can also stay up to date with developments in the case, which will be posted on the TRA's public file.
Notes:
- 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 assess whether it is suitable for UK needs.
