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.

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.

The United Kingdom recorded a trade deficit of 7026 GBP Million in April of 2025. This dataset provides - United Kingdom Balance of Trade - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

Goods Trade Balance Non-EU in the United Kingdom decreased to -8650 GBP Million in April from -6830 GBP Million in March of 2025. This dataset includes a chart with historical data for the United Kingdom Goods Trade Balance Non-EU.

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).

The statistic shows the trade balance of goods (exports minus imports of goods) in the United Kingdom from 2013 to 2023. A positive value means a trade surplus, a negative trade balance means a trade deficit. In 2023, the trade deficit of goods in the United Kingdom amounted to about ****** billion U.S. dollars. On the effects of Brexit on the UK's economy The United Kingdom has maintained a trade deficit over the last ten years, but now that the country has chosen to leave the European Union, current trade agreements will need to be renegotiated and trade relationships and the trade balance will change. As of 2015, one of the UK’s most important import and export partners was Germany, but it also trades heavily with many other countries within the European Union; more than half of total value of the UK trade in goods is associated with European Union countries. Trade agreements which have been negotiated by the European Union extend beyond member countries, and the United Kingdom will now have to renegotiate its own trade deals with a far larger number of countries by itself. It remains to be seen as to how the UK will manage these negotiations. Another big question is how the UK banking sector will be able to access the European market. Services contributed close to ** percent of UK GDP, which includes banking services. While it is too soon predict how Brexit will impact the United Kingdom entirely, estimates of the decision’s long term effects estimate negative GDP growth of around **** percent in an optimistic scenario, with the pessimistic scenario estimating negative growth of around *** percent.

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.

Monthly data on the UK's trade in goods and services, including trade inside and outside the EU. This replaces our previous dataset, UK trade: goods and services (up until July 2018).

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.

In the first quarter of 2025, the United Kingdom had a trade deficit of 10.6 billion British pounds, due to a 59 billion pound deficit in goods trade offset by a 48 billion pound trade surplus in services.

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.

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)

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 75 billion British pounds.

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.

Experimental dataset providing a breakdown of UK trade in services by industry, country and service type on a balance of payments basis. Data are subject to disclosure control.

The United Kingdom's total Exports in 2024 were valued at US$508.68 Billion, according to the United Nations COMTRADE database on international trade. The United Kingdom's main export partners were: the United States, China and Germany. The top three export commodities were: Machinery, nuclear reactors, boilers; Pearls, precious stones, metals, coins and Vehicles other than railway, tramway. Total Imports were valued at US$809.19 Billion. In 2024, The United Kingdom had a trade deficit of US$300.51 Billion.

UK: Trade Balance Vol Index: swda: Consumption Goods (CG) data was reported at 104.200 2000=100 in Apr 2018. This records an increase from the previous number of 102.800 2000=100 for Mar 2018. UK: Trade Balance Vol Index: swda: Consumption Goods (CG) data is updated monthly, averaging 100.150 2000=100 from Jan 1999 (Median) to Apr 2018, with 232 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 120.300 2000=100 in Apr 2003 and a record low of 87.900 2000=100 in Jul 2006. UK: Trade Balance Vol Index: 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: Volume Index: Seasonally and Working Day Adjusted.