A fair trade body is reconsidering a ruling which imposed tariffs on Chinese excavators imported into the UK.

The Trade Remedies Authority (TRA) ruled last year that tariffs of up to 40% should be imposed following a complaint from JCB about the dumping of diggers by Chinese manufacturers.

The TRA is now formally reconsidering its recommendations following appeals from LiuGong Group and Caterpillar.

LiuGong has claimed that battery electric machines should not be included and be removed from the description of the goods and all related tariffs.

Dean Thornwell, Managing Director of LiuGong UK said: “It’s a short-sighted move that conflicts with the UK’s ambitions around net-zero and sustainability.

“As a manufacturer delivering world-class BEVs, we believe this could discourage progress at a time when low-carbon innovation should be accelerating.”

Caterpillar has “questioned the TRA’s calculation of the individual anti-dumping amount that was calculated for it as the sampled cooperating overseas exporter to the original investigation.”

It has asked the TRA to “recalculate the injury margin, dumping margin, injury and causal link determination and the form of the anti-dumping measures.”

The TRA said: “At the end of the reconsideration process, the TRA will reach a reconsidered decision either upholding or varying its recommendation and will notify this to the Secretary of State for Business and Trade.”