UK trade authority to review anti-dumping measures on bikes and components from China

The body that investigates trade remedy measures in the UK is to review current anti-dumping policy on bicycles and certain bike components from China, the outcome of the review to inform whether measures inherited from the European Union are still appropriate.

Currently, anti-dumping duties range between 19.2 per cent and 48.5 per cent, the measure allowing the UK to apply the tariff on 'dumping' goods — namely, those being exported and sold at a price lower than what is normally charged in its home market, impacting the relevant industry in the importing country.

The UK's current anti-dumping measures were inherited from the EU, the Department for International Trade having confirmed EU anti-dumping rules on cheap bikes from China and several other countries would be maintained at the end of the Brexit transition period. At the time, a review was promised if it is not felt that the measures are still "appropriate to the UK", the Trade Remedies Authority (TRA) now announcing that such a review is to take place as the current measures are due to expire on 30 August 2024.

While the TRA states it was investigating for the review between July 2023 to June 2024, businesses that may be affected by the measures have now been invited to register interest through the GOV.UK website by September 6.

The review follows a similar process that looked into e-bikes imported from China, the TRA in May concluding that current measures should be revoked and that to keep things as they are would "not be in the economic interest of the UK" and any benefits of maintaining the status quo would be "significantly outweighed by harm to rest of economy".

> Revoking anti-dumping and anti-subsidy measures could save consumers £260 per e-bike concludes public body

Now, the latest transition review will look into anti-dumping measures on bicycles and certain parts imported from China, but that may also be consigned from Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, and Tunisia.

It concerns "Category 1 goods", which means non-motorised bicycles and other cycles, including delivery tricycles, but excluding unicycles. The list of "Category 2 goods", namely the components subject to the anti-dumping measures is quite extensive and includes: "Bicycle parts, in quantities of 300 or more units per month (per type), including: brake levers, coaster braking hubs, complete wheels with or without tubes, tyres and sprockets, crank-gear derailleur gears, frames (painted, anodised, polished or lacquered), free-wheel sprocket-wheels, front forks (painted, anodised, polished or lacquered), handlebars, hub brakes."

In 2021, the Bicycle Association (BA) welcomed what it described as the "certainty" afforded by the continuation of the EU measures following Brexit, which are aimed at preventing Chinese manufacturers from flooding the market with cheap bikes, to the detriment of local manufacturers and jobs, as well as bringing concerns over safety standards.

Commenting on the latest TRA announcement, the BA told us: "The Bicycle Association notes the announcement from the Trade Remedies Authority that the review of current UK trade defence measures against bikes and parts from China has opened.

"The Bicycle Association remains strictly neutral on this and similar trade defence matters, because we have within our membership companies whose interests differ on these issues. But as with the recent similar review relating to trade defence measures for e-bikes, which is now approaching its final recommendation stage, the BA provides its members with extensive support to understand and participate in the trade defence review process, so that member companies can make their own representations as effectively as possible.

"As the industry association we also support the investigating authorities, within our neutral role, with data and expertise, including the uniquely granular, detailed and up to date figures collected by the BA Market Data Service."