Following an assessment that subsidised imports are likely to recur if the measure was no longer applied, the Trade Remedies Authority (TRA) has proposed that a countervailing measure on imports of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) from India be maintained for a further five years.
The review forms part of the UK’s ongoing assessment of trade remedy measures transitioned from the European Union.
Published in a Statement of Essential Facts (SEF), which can be found HERE, the proposal notes that injury to the UK industry would also be likely to recur if the measure was removed. PET is a type of plastic commonly used in food and beverage packaging, including bottles and containers.
The Indian subsidy programmes identified in the original EU measure still exist and are likely to continue, the TRA argues, although it accepts that Indian imports of PET during the investigation period were low (just 24 tonnes in 2023). However, falling sales, reduced production capacity and evidence of under-utilisation among domestic producers, suggests that the UK industry remains vulnerable to injury.
Interested parties now have until 13 June 2025 to comment on the SEF which sets out the intended recommendation to maintain existing countervailing duty rates, ranging from 0–13.8%, until August 2029. Any responses received will be taken into account before the TRA makes its final recommendation to the Secretary of State for Business and Trade.
