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UK’s Major EU Exports

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Brexit conceptual (courtesy of Pixabay.com)
Brexit conceptual (Pixabay)
The United Kingdom exported US$215.4 billion worth of goods to nations that are European Union members during 2019 or 46% of UK’s global exports total of $468.3 billion. The EU subtotal reflects an 2.8% increase in UK-to-EU international sales from 2017 to 2019 but a -5.4% reduction from $227.7 billion in 2018.

In comparison, overall UK exports to all trade partners worldwide shrank at a slightly slower average pace down -4.6% from 2018 but posted a greater gain of 6% from 2017 to 2019. These metrics suggest a lessening dependency on the EU as a customer for exported goods from Britain.

United Kingdom’s Major Exports to the European Union

Exports

The following exported products garnered the highest dollar value from the UK’s shipments to the EU during 2019. Also shown is the percentage share each export represents in terms of EU-bound exports from the UK.

Please note that the list is sorted in descending order and is at the more granular four-digit Harmonized Tariff System code level thus giving more specifics on what products were shipped to the EU.

  1. Crude oil: $15.9 billion (down -8.8% since 2018)
  2. Cars: $15.3 billion (down -3.8%)
  3. Aircraft parts: $10.2 billion (down -3.9%)
  4. Medication mixes in dosage: $8.6 billion (down -12.9%)
  5. Processed petroleum oils: $8.2 billion (down -7.8%)
  6. Automobile parts/accessories: $4.6 (down -7.3%)
  7. Turbo-jets: $4.3 billion (up 2.4%)
  8. Phone system devices including smartphones: $3.4 billion (up 3.2%)
  9. Computers, optical readers: $3.1 billion (up 12.2%)
  10. Alcohol (including spirits, liqueurs): $2.7 (up 0.5%)
  11. Petroleum gases: $2.5 billion (down -24.9%)
  12. Jewelry: $2 billion (up 104.6%)
  13. Blood fractions (including antisera): $1.9 billion (down -35.2%)
  14. Platinum (unwrought): $1.6 billion (up 5.9%)
  15. Centrifuges, filters and purifiers: $1,58 billion (down -8%)
  16. Engines (diesel): $1.53 billion (up 8%)
  17. Electro-medical equipment (e.g. xrays): $1.49 billion (up 2.2%)
  18. Heavy machinery (bulldozers, excavators, road rollers): $1.47 billion (down -0.9%)
  19. Yachts, other pleasure/sports vessels: $1.32 billion (up 152%)
  20. Beauty/makeup/skin care preparations: $1.3 billion (down -1%)

These 20 major exported goods accounted for $93 billion or 43.2% of all UK shipments to the EU in 2019.

Yachts and other pleasure or sports vessels were the fastest-growers among UK’s top exports to the EU, accelerating by 152% since 2018. In second place for improving export sales was jewelry which appreciated by 104.6% followed by computers via a 12.2% improvement year over year.

The most dramatic declines among major exports from Britain to the EU were for blood fractions including antisera (down -35.2%). Petroleum gases (down -24.9%), medication mixes in dosages (down -12.9%) and crude oil (down -8.8%).

EU Customers

Advantages

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See also United Kingdom’s Top 10 Exports, United Kingdom’s Top Trading Partners, United Kingdom’s Top 10 Imports and United Kingdom’s Top 10 Major Export Companies

Research Sources:
Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook Europe: European Union. Accessed on January 4, 2021

International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on January 4, 2021

Investopedia, Net Exports Definition. Accessed on January 4, 2021

Wikipedia, European Union. Accessed on January 4, 2021