The United Kingdom imports more services and goods from the European Union than exporting them. Although this has been the case since at least 1999, after 2011 the UK-EU trade balance has been more pronounced as the present statistic lays out. When it comes to the UK’s trade with non-EU countries, the picture is decidedly different. Since 2012, the value of UK exports to non-EU countries was higher than the imports, which resulted in a trade surplus. US biggest export market, but EU weighs heavier As of 2023, the UK’s largest export market was outside the European Union. Yet taken as a bloc, the European Union still accounts for a large chunk of the UK’s international trade. Among these, Germany, the Netherlands, and France rank as the main export partners of the UK. UK-EU trade: most important commodities Machinery and transport equipment were the biggest trade commodity exported by the UK to the EU countries in 2020. The value of such exports were roughly **** billion British pounds. In the same year, the UK imported more machinery and transport equipment from the EU than exported them. In total, the UK imported approximately **** billion British pounds worth of such equipment.

As of the first quarter of 2025, the value of goods exported to the European Union from the United Kingdom was over 42.1 billion British pounds, compared with around 76.7 billion pounds of goods imported, resulting in a negative goods trade balance with the EU of around approximately 34.6 billion pounds.

EU UK: Trade Balance data was reported at -11,411.400 EUR mn in May 2018. This records an increase from the previous number of -13,005.300 EUR mn for Apr 2018. EU UK: Trade Balance data is updated monthly, averaging -9,799.500 EUR mn from Jan 1999 (Median) to May 2018, with 233 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 2,630.000 EUR mn in May 2013 and a record low of -23,833.700 EUR mn in Sep 2016. EU UK: Trade Balance data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Eurostat. The data is categorized under Global Database’s UK – Table UK.Eurostat: Trade Balance.

Goods Trade Balance Non-EU in the United Kingdom decreased to -9318 GBP Million in May from -8649 GBP Million in April of 2025. This dataset includes a chart with historical data for the United Kingdom Goods Trade Balance Non-EU.

EU UK: Trade Balance: swda data was reported at -13,404.400 EUR mn in May 2018. This records a decrease from the previous number of -13,219.400 EUR mn for Apr 2018. EU UK: Trade Balance: swda data is updated monthly, averaging -9,686.400 EUR mn from Jan 1999 (Median) to May 2018, with 233 observations. The data reached an all-time high of -89.000 EUR mn in May 2013 and a record low of -21,584.900 EUR mn in Sep 2016. EU UK: Trade Balance: swda data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Eurostat. The data is categorized under Global Database’s UK – Table UK.Eurostat: Trade Balance: Seasonally and Working Day Adjusted.

This statistics displays the trade balance (exports minus imports) of the United Kingdom with countries outside the European Union annually from 1999 to 2023. UK exports to non-EU countries were higher than imports in 2023, with the trade balance measuring approximately at ** billion British pounds.

The European Union's total Exports in 2024 were valued at US$2.80 Trillion, according to the United Nations COMTRADE database on international trade. The European Union's main export partners were: the United States, the United Kingdom and China. The top three export commodities were: Machinery, nuclear reactors, boilers; Pharmaceutical products and Vehicles other than railway, tramway. Total Imports were valued at US$2.64 Trillion. In 2024, The European Union had a trade surplus of US$159.68 Billion.

EU UK: Trade Balance: swda: Intermediate Goods data was reported at -5,288.600 EUR mn in May 2018. This records a decrease from the previous number of -4,985.900 EUR mn for Apr 2018. EU UK: Trade Balance: swda: Intermediate Goods data is updated monthly, averaging -2,966.000 EUR mn from Jan 1999 (Median) to May 2018, with 233 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 7,288.800 EUR mn in May 2013 and a record low of -14,785.500 EUR mn in Sep 2012. EU UK: Trade Balance: swda: Intermediate Goods data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Eurostat. The data is categorized under Global Database’s UK – Table UK.Eurostat: Trade Balance: Seasonally and Working Day Adjusted.

Since the first quarter of 2016, the total trade deficit of the UK has widened, most notably in the first half of 2022. As of the second quarter of 202 the UK's trade balance reached 19 billion British pounds.

  UK’s EU and non-EU trade   UK runs a trade deficit with the EU, but this is not the case regarding trade with countries outside the European Union. Since 2012, the value of UK goods exported to non-EU countries has persistenly been greater than imports made from these countries, resulting in a healthy trade surplus.

  International UK trade after Brexit   Following the Brexit referendum of 2016,the UK government has sought to renew a number of trade agreements that come automatically with EU membership, such as Free Trade Agreements (FTA) and Economic Partnership Agreements (EPA).

EU UK: Trade Balance: swda: Capital Goods data was reported at -2,227.700 EUR mn in May 2018. This records an increase from the previous number of -2,322.300 EUR mn for Apr 2018. EU UK: Trade Balance: swda: Capital Goods data is updated monthly, averaging -1,775.300 EUR mn from Jan 1999 (Median) to May 2018, with 233 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 3,889.400 EUR mn in Apr 2006 and a record low of -4,559.800 EUR mn in Sep 2016. EU UK: Trade Balance: swda: Capital Goods data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Eurostat. The data is categorized under Global Database’s UK – Table UK.Eurostat: Trade Balance: Seasonally and Working Day Adjusted.

The United States is the European Union's biggest trading partner as of 2023, with the total value of trade between the EU and the North American country exceeding ****billion dollars. China was the EU's second-largest trading partner, however, in contrast to the substantial trade surplus that the EU has with the United States, the EU has a large trade deficit with China. In 2022, the EU imported *** billion euros worth of goods from China than it exported to the East Asian country. Other prominent trade partners included the UK, Switzerland, and Turkey.

The United Kingdom recorded a trade deficit of 5699 GBP Million in May of 2025. This dataset provides - United Kingdom Balance of Trade - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

EU UK: Trade Balance: swda: Consumption Goods (CG) data was reported at -4,720.100 EUR mn in May 2018. This records an increase from the previous number of -4,828.200 EUR mn for Apr 2018. EU UK: Trade Balance: swda: Consumption Goods (CG) data is updated monthly, averaging -3,651.100 EUR mn from Jan 1999 (Median) to May 2018, with 233 observations. The data reached an all-time high of -1,339.000 EUR mn in Jan 1999 and a record low of -5,955.900 EUR mn in Jul 2015. EU UK: Trade Balance: swda: Consumption Goods (CG) data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Eurostat. The data is categorized under Global Database’s UK – Table UK.Eurostat: Trade Balance: Seasonally and Working Day Adjusted.

In 2023, the United Kingdom had a total trade deficit of about 15 billion British pounds. A further breakdown of the UK's trade balance as displayed here indicates that the UK had a trade surplus with its trade in goods and services with countries outside the EU, whereas from its goods and services trade with the EU27 countries, the UK had a deficit of over 94.62 billion.

In 2022, the value of goods and services the United Kingdom (UK) imported from the EU amounted to 305.7 billion British pounds. Since the UK's exit from the European Union, trade between the two entities fluctuated.

Clothing and beverages from the EU

As displayed in this statistic, the United Kingdom imported goods and services from the EU on an ever-increasing level since 1999. The EU is a key trade partner for the UK, particularly for food products. Capital products such as machinery and chemicals are also among the leading commodities traded betweenthe UK and the EU.

UK-EU trade balance

As it stands, the trade balance between the UK and the EU is defined by a deficit: the UK imports more goods and services than it exports to the EU. In the case of a hard Brexit where the UK leaves the EU with no deal terms, the UK will have to abide by the external tariff imposed by the EU.

Key information about EU's Trade Balance

• EU's Trade Balance recorded a surplus of 13.5 USD bn in Dec 2024, compared with a surplus of 10.8 USD bn in the previous month
• EU's Trade Balance data is updated monthly, available from Jan 2002 to Dec 2024, with an averaged value of 5.2 USD bn
• The data reached an all-time high of 31.0 USD bn in Dec 2020 and a record low of -57.1 USD bn in Aug 2022

• In the latest reports, EU's Total Exports reached 228.1 USD bn in Dec 2024, an increase of 1.8% YoY (year-on-year)
• Total Imports recorded 214.6 USD bn in Dec 2024, an increase of 1.8% YoY (year-on-year)

In the first quarter of 2025, the value of exports from the United Kingdom amounted to approximately 227 billion British pounds, while imports to the country amounted to around 238 billion pounds, resulting in a trade deficit of around 10.6 billion pounds in this quarter. During this time period, the value of UK exports was highest in the fourth quarter of 2022, with the value of imports peaking in the third quarter of 2022. The UK's main trade partners Despite the UK leaving the EU in 2020 following the Brexit referendum of 2016, Europe remains the main destination for UK exports, with almost half of UK exports heading there in 2023. During the same year, just over 60 percent of imports came from European countries, compared with around 17.9 percent from countries in Asia, and 11.8 percent from the Americas. In terms of individual countries, the United States was the UK's leading export partner for both goods and services from the UK, while Germany was the main source of UK goods imports, and the U.S. for service imports. It is as yet unclear how the return of Donald Trump to the White House will impact UK/US trade relations, should the President follow through with threats made on the campaign trail to increase trade tariffs. Brexit rethink under Starmer? Although generally more pro-European than the previous government, the new Labour government, led by Keir Starmer, does not plan to rejoin the European Union, or the Single Market. Public opinion, while gradually turning against Brexit recently, has not coalesced around a particular trading relationship. In late 2023, a survey indicated that while 31 percent of British adults wanted to rejoin the EU, a further 30 percent wanted to simply improve relations with the EU, instead of rejoining. Just 11 percent of respondents wanted to join the single market but not the EU, while 10 percent were happy with the relationship as it was. At the start of 2025, after several months in office, the new government has not signalled any major change in direction regarding on this, but has broadly signalled it wants a better relationship with the EU.

EU UK: Trade Balance: Intermediate Goods data was reported at -4,468.300 EUR mn in May 2018. This records an increase from the previous number of -5,063.200 EUR mn for Apr 2018. EU UK: Trade Balance: Intermediate Goods data is updated monthly, averaging -2,878.600 EUR mn from Jan 1999 (Median) to May 2018, with 233 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 8,151.200 EUR mn in May 2013 and a record low of -14,599.200 EUR mn in Sep 2012. EU UK: Trade Balance: Intermediate Goods data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Eurostat. The data is categorized under Global Database’s UK – Table UK.Eurostat: Trade Balance.

In 2024, the EU's iron and steel trade recorded a surplus of EUR4.7 billion, with exports rising by 15.2% and import dynamics shifting towards Asian markets.