United Kingdom: the Trade Remedies Authority on 7 October 2026 proposed a five-year anti-dumping duty of 48.29% or 63.66%, with a per-kg minimum, on rutile titanium dioxide from China; comments close 26 October.<\/p>\n
The UK Trade Remedies Authority (TRA) on 7 October 2026 proposed a five-year anti-dumping duty on rutile titanium dioxide imported from China, with rates of 48.29% or 63.66% and a minimum charge per kilogram1<\/a><\/sup>.<\/p>\n The TRA is the UK body that investigates unfair import practices and sudden import surges1<\/a><\/sup>. Its proposal is not yet law. Interested parties can comment until 26 October, and the TRA will then send its final recommendation to the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade1<\/a><\/sup>.<\/p>\n In short, Chinese white pigment for paint, plastics and paper may soon cost far more to bring into the UK. Every shipment from China is already being recorded by customs, so the final duty could reach some goods that arrive before it starts2<\/a><\/sup>.<\/p>\n The TRA wants an anti-dumping duty<\/strong>, an extra import tax on goods sold abroad below their normal price1<\/a><\/sup>. It would apply for five years<\/strong>1<\/a><\/sup>.<\/p>\n The duty is a "mixed" duty. It combines a percentage of the value of the goods with a fixed charge per kilogram1<\/a><\/sup>. Customs would charge whichever of the two brings in more money1<\/a><\/sup>.<\/p>\n The proposed rates are these1<\/a><\/sup>:<\/p>\n "Cooperating" exporters are Chinese makers that answered the investigation. "Sampled" exporters are the smaller group the TRA examined in detail. Exporters that did not take part face the higher rate.<\/p>\n The percentage part is an "ad valorem" duty, which means it is based on the value of the goods1<\/a><\/sup>. The fixed part is a "specific" duty, a set amount for each kilogram. The TRA said it chose a mixed duty to make the duty more effective1<\/a><\/sup>.<\/p>\n In practice, the per-kilogram floor matters most when the declared price is low. At 48.29%, the percentage part only passes \u00a30.665 per kg when the goods are worth more than about \u00a31.38 per kg. Below that value, the importer pays the \u00a30.665 floor. For the 63.66% rate, the same point is about \u00a31.38 per kg against a floor of \u00a30.876.<\/p>\n This design means a very cheap invoice price does not reduce the duty below the floor. The UK importer of record pays the duty when the goods clear customs.<\/p>\n The TRA found that rutile titanium dioxide from China is being dumped in the UK1<\/a><\/sup>. It also found an imminent threat of injury<\/strong> to UK producers, meaning serious harm is likely soon if nothing changes1<\/a><\/sup>.<\/p>\n Imports grew fast during the case. In May 2026, the volume of titanium dioxide imported from China was over 299% of the May 2025 volume<\/strong>1<\/a><\/sup>. The TRA said this trend would likely continue without a duty1<\/a><\/sup>.<\/p>\n The TRA gave two causes for the surge1<\/a><\/sup>:<\/p>\n The TRA chief executives, Jessica Blakely and Carmen Suarez, said the UK industry employs over 570 people and supplies hundreds of UK businesses further down the chain1<\/a><\/sup>. The investigation covered sales from 1 January 2025 to 31 December 20251<\/a><\/sup>.<\/p>\n The case covers rutile titanium oxides in pigments, and preparations based on rutile titanium dioxide3<\/a><\/sup>. The goods must contain at least 80% titanium dioxide<\/strong> by weight, measured on the dry matter2<\/a><\/sup>. All particle sizes are included2<\/a><\/sup>.<\/p>\n The goods carry Chemical Abstracts Service numbers 12065-65-5 and 13463-67-72<\/a><\/sup>. These are standard identity numbers for chemicals.<\/p>\n Titanium dioxide is a white pigment. It gives brightness, opacity and durability to coatings, plastics, paper and many other products1<\/a><\/sup>.<\/p>\n The UK customs notice lists these commodity codes2<\/a><\/sup>:<\/p>\n Anatase and brookite<\/strong>, two other forms of titanium dioxide, are outside the case2<\/a><\/sup>. A code alone does not decide the matter: the form of the pigment does.<\/p>\n Since 27 March 2026<\/strong>, HMRC, the UK tax and customs authority, has registered every import of the goods from China2<\/a><\/sup>. The Secretary of State ordered this under the Taxation (Cross-border Trade) Act 20182<\/a><\/sup>. The UK online tariff service also announced the step on 26 March 20264<\/a><\/sup>.<\/p>\nWhat is the TRA proposing for titanium dioxide?<\/h2>\n
Proposed anti-dumping duty by exporter group, % of value<\/h4>\n
\n
How does the mixed duty work on a shipment?<\/h2>\n
Why did the TRA act against Chinese titanium dioxide?<\/h2>\n
\n
Which goods does the titanium dioxide case cover?<\/h2>\n
\n
What must importers declare at the UK border now?<\/h2>\n
Codes on the import declaration for goods from China<\/h4>\n