The UK’s Trade Remedies Authority (TRA) has recommended imposing steep anti-dumping duties on Chinese titanium dioxide, a key industrial chemical used in paints and plastics. The proposal follows EU concerns that the UK is becoming a backdoor for cheap Chinese imports. The TRA found UK industry was suffering material injury from dumping, proposing minimum duties of £660 per tonne.
Imports from China tripled in May 2026 compared to the previous year. Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds must decide whether to follow the recommendation, risking tensions with China or Brussels. The EU imposed similar duties in 2024 and is monitoring UK exports to prevent circumvention.
The investigation was triggered after US-owned Tronox alleged dumping, following the 2025 collapse of a Teesside plant bought by China’s LB Group.
Source: Financial Times Companies · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing