The Trade Remedies Authority (TRA) has published a Statement of Essential Facts (SEF) setting out interim findings in its anti-dumping investigation of hot rolled steel plate from South Korea.
Hot rolled steel plates are flat steel products often used in bridge construction, machine manufacturing and shipbuilding.
The initial findings are that an anti-dumping measure should be put in place. The TRA has identified options regarding the scope of the measure
- A measure could be imposed only on plates over 600mm but less than 2500mm in width – this is the TRA’s preferred option;
- Or, an anti-dumping measure could be placed on all the products in scope of the investigation – that being all plates over 600mm in width;
Options for scope of measure
The full scope of the investigation covers plates over 600mm, taking both narrow and wide plates into scope.
As part of its investigation process, the TRA conducts an Economic Interest Test (EIT) to consider the economic impacts — both beneficial and harmful — of imposing a trade remedy measure.
Following the EIT assessment in this case, the TRA found that imposing an anti-dumping measure on the full scope (all plates over 600mm in width) would likely harm UK downstream sectors such as renewable energy, ship building and defence, which rely in-part on wide plates. The TRA found insufficient evidence of sustained production in the UK of wider plates and so UK sectors are reliant on imports. As a result, the TRA found that it is not in the economic interest of the UK to impose an anti-dumping measure on the full scope of the goods.
The EIT was met when assessed on the imposition of a measure on narrow plates only, where the TRA did find evidence of sustained production in the UK. The TRA’s preferred option is therefore that the measure covers only narrow plates of less than 2500mm in width (but still over 600mm).
If the new anti-dumping measure is applied only to plates less than 2500mm in width, the duties would range from 7.04% to 22.27%. If applied to the full scope of the products investigated, the duties would range from 5.98% to 24.28%.
What happens next?
If you think your business may be affected, you can comment via the TRA’s public file by 21 May 2026. The TRA may then consider any additional evidence presented, before making its final recommendation to the Secretary of State for Business & Trade.
Background information
- The Trade Remedies Authority (TRA) is the independent UK government body that investigates whether trade remedy measures are needed to counter unfair import practices and unforeseen surges of imports.
- This is a new anti-dumping case which was initiated on 6 June 2025.
- The Economic Interest Test forms part of the TRA’s process for investigating trade practices which may be causing injury to UK industry. The EIT considers the expected impact on the UK of imposing a new measure, compared to the impact of not imposing that measure. The aim of the process is to determine whether the implementation of a proposed trade remedies measure is in the wider economic interest of the UK. The conclusions of the EIT in this investigation are set out in the Statement of Essential Facts.
- Anti-dumping measures are one of three types of trade remedies that are allowed under World Trade Organisation (WTO) rules. They allow a country to act against goods which are being sold at less than their normal value – the price for ‘like goods’ sold in the exporter’s home market.
- The Period of Investigation was 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025 and the Injury Period was 1 April 2021 to 31 March 2025.
- For a full description of the goods concerned, please see the case documents on the TRA’s public file.