The UK’s Trade Remedies Authority (TRA) has recommended new anti-dumping duties on biodiesel imports from China, citing evidence that Chinese producers are selling at unfairly low prices that are harming the domestic industry, reports Chemanalyst News.
In its newly released Statement of Essential Facts (SEF), the TRA said Chinese biodiesel is being dumped in the UK market, causing “material injury” to local producers. It has proposed ad-valorem duties ranging from 15.68% to 54.64%, though the decision is not yet final.
The investigation began in June 2024 after a complaint from the Renewable Transport Fuels Association (RTFA). It covered imports of two main biofuels: fatty-acid mono-alkyl esters (FAME), made from vegetable and animal oils, and hydrotreated vegetable oils (HVO), a more advanced biofuel that can directly replace diesel due to its longer shelf life and lower viscosity. Both fuels are widely used in the UK for road transport, either pure or blended.
The TRA’s analysis found that Chinese biodiesel prices were significantly below “normal value.” Such dumping practices, it warned, can undercut local producers, leading to financial losses, job cuts, or even plant closures. The proposed duties aim to raise import prices to fair levels and protect UK industry.
As part of its assessment, the TRA applied the Economic Interest Test, which considers whether measures benefit the wider economy. It concluded that duties would support domestic producers and maintain fair competition without harming consumers.
The case underscores the UK’s use of its independent trade remedies system, created after Brexit, to counter unfair trading practices. Stakeholders—including importers, exporters, and domestic producers—have until September 22, 2025 to submit comments on the SEF.
The TRA’s final recommendation will then be passed to the government for a decision. Under the proposal, duties would be set at 15.68% for the Zhuoyue Group and other cooperating exporters, and a higher 54.64% for all other exporters.
