TRA proposes duties of up to 82.89% on Chinese boom lifts

The Trade Remedies Authority (TRA) has proposed UK anti-dumping duties of up to 82.89% on boom lifts imported from China, publishing its intended determination on 5 October. Businesses affected by the investigation have until 20 October 2026 to submit comments before the authority makes its final recommendation.

The equipment, commonly called cherry pickers, raises workers, materials and equipment for work at height. Its use spans construction, maintenance and installation, bringing the investigation into focus for businesses beyond the manufacturers directly involved.

What happened

The authority has set out its proposed findings and remedy in a Statement of Essential Facts, as reported by GOV.UK Business. Its interim assessment finds evidence that Chinese boom lifts are being dumped in the UK and that those imports have caused, or are causing, injury to domestic industry.

The investigation calculated that prices for the Chinese imports undercut those of UK producers by more than 25%. The TRA examined import volumes, production costs, pricing information and factors used to assess injury to reach its conclusions.

The proposed 82.89% figure is the upper end of the duties recommended in the interim findings. It is not a final decision: the publication gives affected businesses an opportunity to provide further evidence before the recommendation is completed.

The background

The investigation began on 19 December 2025. UK producers subsequently received initial protection on 20 August 2026, when the UK Government introduced provisional anti-dumping measures following a TRA recommendation.

For the dumping investigation, the authority examined the period from 1 October 2024 to 30 September 2025. Its assessment of injury covered a longer window, from 1 October 2021 to 30 September 2025, allowing it to examine the industry's position over four years.

Anti-dumping duties address imported goods sold for less than their normal value. That benchmark is the price of comparable goods sold in the exporter's domestic market, rather than simply a comparison with prices charged by UK competitors.

The TRA is the independent UK body responsible for investigating whether trade remedies are needed to address unfair import practices or unforeseen increases in imports. It operates at arm's length from the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade.

What people are saying

The TRA's position is that the proposed measure meets the UK's economic interest. That conclusion follows an Economic Interest Test, which considers both the benefits and the harmful economic effects of introducing a trade remedy.

On that basis, the authority intends to recommend the remedy to the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade. Its assessment therefore goes beyond the finding of injury to producers and considers the wider economic implications of intervention.

What happens next

Affected businesses can submit comments through the TRA's public file by 20 October 2026. The file also provides access to the investigation material, giving companies a route to examine the case before responding.

The authority may consider additional evidence received during this stage before sending its final recommendation to the secretary of state. For businesses preparing a submission, this is the remaining opportunity identified in the announcement to put evidence before the TRA completes that recommendation.