UK to review anti-dumping measures on heavy steel plate from China

The UK's Trade Remedies Authority body is to review anti-dumping measures on heavy steel plate from China to make sure they are still suitable, the government said Jan. 25.

The TRA will look at the trade remedies measure transitioned from the EU to counter Chinese heavy steel plate imports and decide if duties are still needed to limit imports into the UK.

Prior to Brexit, trade remedy investigations were carried out by the EU Commission on the UK's behalf.

The current measure covering certain steel products used to manufacture construction, mining and logging equipment, oil and gas pipelines, in shipbuilding and in the construction industry, the government said.

The measure impacts products of non-alloy or alloy steel, hot-rolled, of a thickness of more than 10 mm and of a width of at least 600 mm, or of a thickness of at least 4.75 mm but not exceeding 10 mm and of a width of at least 2.05 meters, it said.

The measures exclude steel in coils or that is clad, plated or coated, as well as stainless steel, silicon-electrical steel, tool steel and high-speed steel.

The TRA will look at events in 2021, with businesses that may be affected able to contribute to the review.

According to World Steel Association data, China produced 944.8 million mt of crude steel over January-November 2021, while the UK produced 6.05 million mt.

The UK is also engaged in bilateral discussions with the US to address global steel and aluminum excess capacity and a tariff dispute between the two nations after Section 232 tariffs were imposed on most countries in 2018 under former President Donald Trump.

The US began talks with other world governments in 2021 concerning overcapacity and trade disputes in the steel and aluminum industries and modified its Section 232 tariff program in October to allow a certain volume of metal shipments from the EU to enter the US duty-free under a quota.