On Wednesday, October 7, the Trade Remedies Authority (TRA) of the United Kingdom released a preliminary investigation suggesting the imposition of new anti-dumping duties on Rutile Titanium Dioxide products imported from China.
The authorities have concluded that the Chinese products are entering the UK market through dumping, posing an imminent and substantial threat of real harm to the UK domestic production industry.
Rutile Titanium Dioxide, a crucial whitening agent, is widely used in paints, plastics, papermaking, and various industrial and consumer products. Investigation data shows a significant increase in Chinese titanium dioxide exports to the UK since the case began in March 2026. For instance, in May 2026, the import volume exceeded 299% compared to the same period in May 2025.
According to the TRA, the main reason for the surge in imports is the significant expansion of production capacity in China, while several jurisdictions including the EU, India, and Saudi Arabia have already imposed trade remedies on Chinese titanium dioxide. These defensive tariffs have squeezed the space for Chinese products in the aforementioned markets, resulting in a flood of Chinese products entering the UK market without adequate protective barriers.
Jessica Blakely, Co-Chief Executive Officer, and Carmen Suarez, Co-Chief Executive Officer of TRA jointly stated that the titanium dioxide industry in the UK employs over 570 individuals, contributes millions of pounds to the national economy annually, and supplies raw materials to hundreds of downstream UK businesses. The proposed measures aim to protect this key industry from the impacts of unfair competition.
The TRA recommends the implementation of a mixed anti-dumping duty on Chinese titanium dioxide for a period of 5 years, combining Ad Valorem Duty and specific quantity-based duty. The specific application criteria will adopt the higher of the two, whereby if the Ad Valorem Duty amount falls below a certain threshold, a fixed minimum specified tax per kilogram will be levied to maximize the defense effect. The proposed duty rates are as follows:
For sampled export vendors in compliance with the investigation:
An Ad Valorem Duty of 48.29% and a minimum levy of 0.665 pounds per kilogram.
For non-sampled export vendors in compliance with the investigation:
An Ad Valorem Duty of 48.29% and a minimum levy of 0.665 pounds per kilogram.
For all other overseas export vendors:
An Ad Valorem Duty of 63.66% and a minimum levy of 0.876 pounds per kilogram.
Furthermore, the UK HM Revenue & Customs has been registering imports of Chinese Rutile Titanium Dioxide since late March 2026 as requested. This implies that once the final decision is made, the new tariffs may be retroactively collected.
Goods imported before the policy officially takes effect may face a maximum of a 90-day retroactive duty, posing significant potential financial risks for downstream importers.
According to Reuters, this proposed measure highlights the UK’s determination to protect domestic industries amidst an increasingly fragmented global trade landscape. Earlier this year, concerns arose over excess low-priced steel from countries like China, leading to the replacement of the existing steel defense mechanism with stricter new measures.
Additionally, the UK is reevaluating its tariff policy on Chinese electric vehicles to reduce policy discrepancies with the EU, thereby vying to join the EU’s proposed “Made in Europe” initiative.
Stakeholders related to the anti-dumping duty proposal presented on Wednesday can submit feedback through the TRA platform by October 26. Subsequently, the TRA will submit the final recommendation to the UK Secretary of State for Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy for the final decision on implementation.