UK Goods Trade 2017–2024: From EU Reliance to a Broader Global Mix — What the Numbers Really Say

For more than four decades the UK’s trade story was framed by the European Union. The 2016 referendum and the Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) that took effect in January 2021 fundamentally changed the trading environment, while the pandemic and the 2022 global energy shock reshaped prices, supply chains and partner choices. Between 2017 and 2024, the data show a gradual rebalancing: the EU remains the UK’s largest single trading bloc, but the UK’s mix of partners and product exposures has diversified, particularly on the import side where fuels and energy security have played an outsized role.

The broad contours are clear. In 2017 the EU accounted for 44% of UK exports of goods and services and 53% of imports. By 2024 the EU share of UK exports had eased to 41%, and its share of imports hovered close to half. Goods trade specifically shows a similar pattern: in 2024 around 48% of UK goods exports went to the EU, with the remainder shipped to non-EU partners. Over 2021–2024, energy price spikes and the redirection of gas flows away from Russia toward Norway, the US and global LNG markets gave non-EU imports a pronounced impulse, even as EU goods trade stayed dominant in many manufactured categories.

Top five “insights in numbers”

1. EU share of total UK exports fell from 44% (2017) to 41% (2024), signalling a measured but real diversification of destinations.
2. Goods exports to the EU accounted for ~48% in 2024, equivalent to £174.4 bn, versus £191.2 bn to non-EU markets—showing a near-even split on the goods side.
3. Total UK exports and imports in 2024 were £873 bn and £906 bn respectively; the EU accounted for ~41% of exports and ~51% of imports (latest processed shares).
4. The 2022 energy shock drove a +193% year-on-year surge in non-EU fuel imports in the 12 months to April 2022, materially tilting import values toward non-EU partners during that period.
5. In the four quarters to March 2025 (a timely proxy for late-2024), UK trade values showed non-EU exports (£519.3 bn) edging EU exports (£361.2 bn) for total trade in goods and services, underlining the broader mix.

The long view: a gradual re-weighting rather than a pivot

2017–2019 marked the last pre-TCA years, with the EU still accounting for 44–45% of UK exports and just over half of imports. The US was the top single-country market, while Germany and China were large import sources. The composition of trade was typical of a European, services-heavy economy: a goods deficit with the EU and a services surplus globally. These shares are well documented in House of Commons Library briefings and ONS releases and create a baseline for what follows.

2020–2021 brought pandemic disruptions and, in January 2021, the operational reality of the TCA. Frictions emerged at the UK-EU goods border—customs formalities, rules-of-origin compliance, and transport frictions. The net effect was not a collapse but a step-change reduction in what exports and imports “would otherwise have been”, according to empirical studies, with goods flows recovering but from a lower counterfactual path. The EU’s share of UK exports drifted lower on a multi-year view, while services resilience (especially business and financial services) softened the headline impact.

2022 was the year of the energy price shock after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The UK’s goods import bill surged +32% in value (with imports up £155.5 bn) and fuel imports up £63.6 bn (+119%) versus 2021. Crucially, non-EU fuel imports jumped +125.9%, reflecting increased LNG purchases and heavier reliance on Norway and the US. In current prices this amplified non-EU shares in total imports, even as underlying import volumes rose more modestly once inflation is stripped out. This was the main mechanical driver of the “broader global mix” visible in 2022–2023 import data.

2023–2024 saw normalisation in energy prices and continued adjustments in goods supply chains. By 2024, UK total exports were £873 bn and imports £906 bn, with EU shares at ~41% of exports and ~51% of imports (latest available processed shares). On the goods side, the EU still purchased nearly half of UK exports, but non-EU partners collectively bought slightly more goods, and on the import side non-EU partners continued to command a larger value share than before the energy crisis years—even as monthly profiles fluctuated (e.g., in December 2024, imports from the EU were £4.2 bn higher than from non-EU countries while exports to the EU were £1.5 bn lower than to non-EU).

The cumulative picture is reweighting, not replacement: the UK still trades intensively with the EU, but the value composition of imports has been more sensitive to non-EU energy and commodities cycles, while exports have seen stronger relative growth outside the EU in services and some goods niches.

How composition—not just geography—moved the needle

Energy and fuels: a 2022–2023 swing factor

The surge in non-EU fuel imports is the single biggest reason non-EU partners gained share in import value in 2022. Norway, the US and other LNG suppliers filled gaps, with UK LNG imports hitting record levels in 2022 before easing in 2024 as prices cooled and flows re-routed. Policy and market forces—bans on Russian coal, the redirection of gas, and long-term UK purchase agreements with Norway—kept non-EU energy ties central even as price pressure waned.

Manufactured goods: resilience with friction

UK-EU trade in cars, machinery, chemicals and other manufactured goods remains deep and complex. Firms adjusted to rules-of-origin and documentation, but frictions are non-zero. Econometric work finds a statistically significant downward shift in UK-EU goods trade relative to a no-Brexit counterfactual. That is compatible with the aggregate observation that roughly half of UK goods exports still go to the EU in 2024: the level is high, but the path is lower than it otherwise would have been.

Services ascendancy

A structural trend under the surface is the rising weight of services in total exports. Even as goods faced headwinds, services exports have grown to a record share of the total. This matters for goods analysis because supply-chain services, IP, and after-sales often accompany manufactured exports, affecting competitiveness and the overall export mix.

EU reliance: still central, but no longer singular

The EU remains the UK’s largest regional partner. In 2024, ~48% of goods exports headed to the EU, and the EU accounted for about half of UK imports. The bloc’s gravitational pull—geography, integrated supply chains, and regulatory proximity—has not disappeared. What has changed is that non-EU markets now carry more of the marginal growth, especially when commodity prices move sharply or when UK services expand in the US, Asia and the Middle East. In the four quarters to March 2025, non-EU exports (goods plus services) at £519.3 bn outpaced EU exports at £361.2 bn, reflecting this broader mix.

From a risk standpoint, the EU’s share offers stability; from a growth standpoint, non-EU offers opportunity—particularly where the UK can leverage high-value services, advanced manufacturing niches, energy transition supply chains (e.g., offshore wind components and services), and new or upgraded trade relationships.

What the patterns imply for 2025 and beyond

1. Price vs. volume matters. The 2022 tilt toward non-EU partners was price-led in fuels. As prices recede, shares can revert even if underlying volumes remain diversified. Strategy should therefore track chained volume measures (real trade) alongside current-price aggregates.
2. Energy security reshapes partners. Long-term gas arrangements with Norway and continued LNG import capacity imply persistent non-EU weight in energy trade, even as renewables rise and energy intensity falls.
3. EU market access remains essential for goods. Compliance frictions—customs declarations, rules of origin, safety/security (ENS) filings, and conformity assessment—add cost and time. For exporters that master these processes, the EU remains a deep, wealthy market contiguous to the UK.
4. Services-led growth supports non-EU outreach. Where digital trade, professional services, and IP-rich exports lead, the UK has strong scope to deepen ties with the US and other non-EU markets—supporting a broader global mix even if EU goods links remain tight.
5. Policy sensitivity persists. Regulatory developments on either side of the Channel—be it product standards, border regimes, or sectoral measures (e.g., EU green tariffs, carbon measures)—can swing relative competitiveness. Monthly ONS trade bulletins show how sensitive flows can be to one-off changes and reporting shifts (example: January 2022 HMRC operational change).

Practical takeaways for UK traders and operators

1) Treat the EU as your default high-volume market—but budget for compliance

With nearly half of UK goods exports still bound for EU customers, the bloc remains the logical first destination for many products. The cost and certainty equation rests on getting the border right: accurate customs declarations (CDS), correct origin proofs, and consistent ENS (safety & security) data when required. Using modern, cloud-based broker-grade platforms reduces rework, delays and penalties. (See internal link suggestions below for “customs declaration,” “cds declarations,” and “ens declarations.”)

2) Use non-EU markets to spread risk and capture price cycles

The fuel episode of 2022 is a reminder that global shocks can add billions to non-EU trade values in a matter of months. While few sectors are as price-volatile as energy, diversifying non-EU exposure—especially where the UK has brand and technology strengths—helps smooth the cycle and taps into faster-growing demand pools in the US, parts of Asia, and the Gulf.

3) Build services around goods

Bundle after-sales, maintenance, digital updates, training, and financing with goods exports. The UK’s services surplus increasingly carries total export performance. Structuring contracts to capture these legs—often outside the EU—bolsters the global mix and offsets goods-side frictions.

4) Monitor the “real” economy, not just nominal values

A leap in current-price imports can mask flat volumes. Conversely, a price correction can make shares “look” like they are re-tilting even when the logistical map is unchanged. Decision-makers should embed real-terms dashboards and deflators into their trade reporting. ONS provides both current-price and chained-volume series for this purpose.

5) Make border process discipline a competitive advantage

Firms that industrialise their import declarations, export declarations, CDS declarations, and ENS filings achieve lower error rates, predictable cycle times, and fewer post-clearance adjustments. In a world of modest growth and tight margins, process fidelity is a lasting differentiator—and directly influences on-time delivery and customer satisfaction. (Internal link suggestions below.)

Reading the 2017–2024 arc: three phases

Phase 1 (2017–2019):

• EU shares: ~44–45% of exports; ~53% of imports.
• Stable goods deficit with the EU, services surplus globally.
• UK manufacturing integrated into EU supply chains; US the primary single-country market.

Phase 2 (2020–2021):

• Pandemic disruptions plus the TCA border regime.
• Evidence of a level shift down in UK-EU goods trade relative to the counterfactual, but no collapse.
• Services resilience mitigates headline impacts.

Phase 3 (2022–2024):

• Energy price surge drives non-EU import values sharply higher; Norway and LNG suppliers gain share.
• As prices cool, shares partially normalise, but the mix remains broader than pre-2020.
• 2024: EU still roughly half of goods trade; total exports £873 bn; imports £906 bn; EU ~41% of exports, ~51% of imports (latest processed shares).

What traders should do now

Reassess market prioritisation each year using both value and volume data. Where the EU offers proximity and scale but modest growth, build share by mastering border compliance. Where non-EU offers growth or better pricing, invest in market entry playbooks—distributor due diligence, local certification, and robust logistics visibility—so that gains persist beyond one commodity cycle.

Digitise trade operations end-to-end. Whether you file customs declarations in-house or through a self-service platform, standardising master data (incoterms, parties, EORI numbers, valuation elements), codifying rules-of-origin, and pre-validating CDS declarations reduce costly errors. For outbound, plan ENS requirements early and automate document assembly where possible.

Bundle services with goods. UK firms that proactively package SaaS-like warranties, remote monitoring, or training with equipment sales tend to expand export tickets and open doors in non-EU markets—especially where local competitors are product-only.

Align supply chain with energy realism. Energy price volatility will remain a feature of the 2020s. Even as the grid decarbonises, gas plays a role—underpinned by Norwegian supply and LNG options. Contracting and hedging strategies should reflect that, as should risk-adjusted pricing for energy-intensive product lines.

Conclusion: Europe anchors the system; global breadth adds resilience

From 2017 to 2024, the UK’s goods-trade centre of gravity remained in Europe—but the edges widened. Non-EU partners carried more weight when prices spiked (fuels) and where services growth pulled the overall trade mix outward. The EU will continue to be the first stop for many manufacturers because of geography, established supply chains and regulatory adjacency. Yet the post-2017 arc makes a compelling case for two-track trade strategies: discipline and depth in the EU, ambition and breadth beyond it.

That is not just a macro story. For individual firms, the winners will be those that (i) industrialise their border processes (import declarations, export declarations, CDS declarations, ENS filings), (ii) bundle services with goods, and (iii) pursue selective non-EU growth without sacrificing EU market share. The data from 2017–2024 show why that blend delivers both stability and upside.

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