Ewan has been editor of Retreading Business since 2006 and of Tyre & Rubber Recycling since the magazine was founded. During this period he has become an expert on the global tyre recycling sector. He has many years' experience as an automotive journalist including a period at Tyres & Accessories.
UK Consultation on Chinese Tyre Import Measures
The UK Trade Remedies Authority (TRA) has today initiated two transition reviews into anti-dumping and countervailing measures on lorry and bus tyres imported from China.
UK to Review Measures on Tyres from China
The tyres to be investigated during this review are pneumatic rubber tyres, new or retreaded and used for buses or lorries, with a load index exceeding 121.
The UK’s retreading industry is estimated to contribute around £230 million to the UK economy each year and supports 5,500 UK jobs.
As part of the transition review, the TRA will determine whether the dumping of imported tyres or importation of subsidised tyres 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.
The investigation will cover the period from 1 January 2022 to 31 December 2022. In order to assess injury, the TRA will examine the period from 1 July 2019 to 31 December 2021.
Chinese tyres have made a considerable inroad into the UK and EU tyre markets, and the low-cost brands have been claimed to be the cause of undermining domestic retread sectors, as a new, cheap Chinese brand is competitively priced compared to many retreads. However, this simple cost purchasing failes to account for the environmental and reliability benefits of retreads, nor does it account for how the end-of-life treatment of these low-cost Chinese tyres is managed.
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.
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.