TRA to review anti-dumping measures on aluminium road wheels

The Trade Remedies Authority (TRA) will review imports of aluminium road wheels from the People’s Republic of China and will consider whether duties are needed to offset dumping in the UK and whether UK industry would be injured if the measure was no longer applied.

The wheels to be investigated during this review are used on motor vehicles and are often referred to as ‘alloy wheels’ as they are made from an alloy of mainly aluminium with a small amount of other metals or silicone added for durability. These wheels are sold in the UK to both the vehicle manufacturers and as aftermarket products to the general consumer.

The investigation will cover the period from 1 July 2020 to 30 June 2021. In order to assess injury, the TRA will examine the period from 1 July 2017 to 30 June 2021.

View further information on our current transition reviews, including the notice of initiation for aluminium road wheels

• Aluminium road wheels are most commonly manufactured by either forging or casting. Forged wheels are usually more expensive than cast wheels but provide a better strength to weight ratio and as a result are more commonly used in high performance and off-road vehicles.
• Anti-dumping duties allow a country or union to take action against goods sold at less than their normal value, defined as the price for ‘like goods’ sold in the exporter’s home market.
• The measures are one of the three types of trade remedies – along with countervailing measures against countervailable subsidies and safeguard measures which address sudden, unforeseen floods of imports – that are allowed by the World Trade Organisation (WTO).
• 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. Forty-three 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.