The Trade Remedies Authority has recommended raising the duties paid by the majority of Chinese tyre exporters in order to protect the UK’s tyre retreading industry, which competes with imported new tyres in the lorry and coach industries.
According to the British Tyre Manufacturers’ Association, the UK’s retreading industry is contributes about £230 million to the UK economy each year, and supports 5,500 UK jobs.
The TRA has assessed evidence that historically, many of the tyres imported into the UK from China have been lower-quality, “single-use” tyres which are less likely to be retreadable. If the measures were removed, it is likely that imports of these lower quality tyres would increase and cause injury to UK industry. This would also be detrimental to the environment as fewer of these tyres would be recycled through the retreading process.
Based on evidence provided, the TRA has recommended that the new combined anti-dumping and countervailing duty rates range from £10.03 per tyre to £110.11 per tyre.
The Hankook Group, which participated in the transition review, would pay £10.03 per tyre in duties, while those exporters that did not cooperate would pay the residual rate of £110.11 per tyre.
