Turkey Launches Anti-Dumping and Countervailing Investigations on Tyres

Turkey’s government has initiated anti-dumping investigations into tyres imported from major source countries including South Korea and Hungary. Domestic enterprises are expected to inevitably adjust their local sales strategies and see changes in profitability, depending on whether tariffs are imposed.

According to a statement on the official website of Turkey's Ministry of Trade on the 18th, the Ministry announced on the 10th (local time) that it has launched anti-dumping investigations into pneumatic tyres for passenger cars and light commercial vehicles (PCR and LT tyres) imported from six countries: South Korea, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Serbia, Slovakia, and India. The investigation was filed by local tyre manufacturer "Petlas Lastik Sanayi A.Ş", based on a petition alleging unfair imports and low-cost imports into the domestic market. The scope of the investigation covers tyres for light commercial vehicles, medium and heavy commercial vehicles, and agricultural vehicles. The investigation period is from January 1, 2022, to December 31, 2024, with a focus on examining changes in import volumes and damage to the domestic industry during this period.

Turkish authorities will focus on whether the prices of imported products have harmed the local industry by lowering or suppressing the prices of domestic manufacturers. The Ministry of Trade explained that even if imported products do not have a substantial impact on the formation of domestic prices, if there is confirmation of downward pressure on local market prices, this can be used as a basis for an anti-dumping ruling.

It is understood that in 2024, the selling prices of light commercial vehicle tyres made in South Korea in the Turkish market were lower than those of local products, putting pressure on the unit prices of domestic enterprises. However, this price effect was not significant between 2022 and 2023. On the other hand, products made in the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Serbia are believed to have dragged down the overall selling prices of local enterprises from 2022 to 2024. Studies have found that tyres from Slovakia had a minimal impact on prices during the same period. For example, in the case of medium-sized vehicle tyres, it was confirmed that Serbian products had a direct impact on local market prices from 2023 to 2024, while products made in South Korea had no impact on local price fluctuations throughout the investigation period. In the field of agricultural tyres, it was confirmed that products from India and the Czech Republic caused price declines in some segments.

Turkey's Ministry of Trade has sent confidential application summaries and questionnaires to relevant companies and stakeholders. Stakeholders must respond within 37 days from the date of notification.

Turkey is a key export market connecting Europe and the Middle East, and a region where domestic tyre enterprises expand their European bases through local sales. Therefore, there are concerns that if the anti-dumping investigation is prolonged or leads to additional tariffs, South Korean tyres may face restrictions on local sales and export routes to Europe. In particular, since the investigation covers not only passenger car tyres but also light commercial vehicle tyres, both the OEM (original equipment manufacturing, i.e., vehicle delivery) and aftermarket (replacement market) are expected to be affected.