Countries
The United Kingdom: trade by HS code
- US$423.7bnExports 2024
- US$753bnImports 2024
- 5,488HS6 · Exports
- Northern EuropeRegion
- British Pound (GBP)Currency
In 2024, exports from the United Kingdom came to US$423.7bn and imports to US$753bn.
Its main exports were crude oil (2709.00), turbojets, thrust over 25 kN (8411.12) and other medicines, dosed or for retail sale (3004.90).
Its largest customer was the United States and its largest supplier China.
In the 12 months to August 2026, the EU imported goods worth €163.3bn from the United Kingdom (+2% on the year before), above all crude oil, natural gas in gaseous state and other aircraft and drone parts, and exported €353bn to it.
Under the EU–United Kingdom agreement, 99% of the EU tariff lines are duty-free for goods from the United Kingdom that meet the rules of origin.
Goods entering the United Kingdom are classified under the UK Global Tariff.
United Kingdom and the EU
Agreement or scheme: EU–United Kingdom agreement
What the EU imports from United Kingdom
- 2709.00Crude oil
- 2711.21Natural gas in gaseous state
- 8807.30Other aircraft and drone parts
- 3004.90Other medicines, dosed or for retail sale
- 8411.12Turbojets, thrust over 25 kN
- 2710.12Light oils and preparations
- 8411.91Turbojet and turboprop parts
- 8703.40Hybrid cars, petrol (non-plug-in)
- 8703.60Plug-in hybrid cars (petrol)
- 2208.30Whisky
Data up to August 2026 (provisional) · Eurostat Comext
Top exports
- 2709.00Crude oil
- 8411.12Turbojets, thrust over 25 kN
- 3004.90Other medicines, dosed or for retail sale
- 8411.91Turbojet and turboprop parts
- 8703.40Hybrid cars, petrol (non-plug-in)
- 8807.30Other aircraft and drone parts
- 7108.13Semi-manufactured gold (non-monetary)
- 2208.30Whisky
- 8703.24Petrol cars over 3000 cc
- 8703.23Petrol cars, 1500-3000 cc
- 7108.12Unwrought gold (non-monetary)
- 3002.15Immunological products, dosed or retail
- 2711.21Natural gas in gaseous state
- 8703.60Plug-in hybrid cars (petrol)
- 7106.91Unwrought silver
- 7204.49Other ferrous scrap
- 8517.62Network switching and routing equipment
- 7113.19Precious metal jewellery (other than silver)
- 8703.80Electric cars (battery only)
- 8408.90Other diesel engines
Top imports
- 7108.13Semi-manufactured gold (non-monetary)
- 2709.00Crude oil
- 7108.12Unwrought gold (non-monetary)
- 8703.80Electric cars (battery only)
- 3004.90Other medicines, dosed or for retail sale
- 2711.21Natural gas in gaseous state
- 8703.22Petrol cars, 1000-1500 cc
- 8517.62Network switching and routing equipment
- 8471.30Laptops and portable computers (max 10 kg)
- 8802.40Aircraft over 15,000 kg
- 8517.13Smartphones
- 8704.21Diesel trucks, GVW up to 5 t
- 8703.40Hybrid cars, petrol (non-plug-in)
- 8703.60Plug-in hybrid cars (petrol)
- 8703.23Petrol cars, 1500-3000 cc
- 3002.15Immunological products, dosed or retail
- 8703.21Petrol cars up to 1000 cc
- 8807.30Other aircraft and drone parts
- 8471.50Computer processing units (desktop CPUs, servers)
- 2711.11Liquefied natural gas (LNG)
Main buyers from United Kingdom
Main suppliers of United Kingdom
Economy, trade and logistics
Key figures on the size of the economy, its place in world trade and how fast goods cross its borders, from the World Bank and UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD). Each value shows the year it refers to.
| Indicator | Value | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Economy | ||
| Population | 69.5m | 2025 |
| GDP (current US$) | US$4tn | 2025 |
| GDP per person (current US$) | US$57,602 | 2025 |
| Trade in goods and services, % of GDP | 62% | 2025 |
| Trade | ||
| Share of world goods exports | 2.11% | 2025 |
| Share of world goods imports | 3.56% | 2025 |
| Products exported (SITC 3-digit groups) | 257 | 2025 |
| Export concentration index · 0 = exports spread evenly across products, 1 = a single product | 0.16 | 2025 |
| Average applied tariff, simple mean, all products | 1.1% | 2022 |
| Average applied tariff, trade-weighted, all products | 1% | 2022 |
| Logistics | ||
| Logistics Performance Index (LPI) · score from 1 (low) to 5 (high) | 3.7 | 2022 |
| LPI: efficiency of customs and border clearance | 3.5 | 2022 |
| Liner shipping connectivity index · rank 10 in the world | 382.8 | 2026 Q3 |
| Container port throughput (TEU) | 9.6m | 2024 |
| Median time ships spend in port (days) | 1.11 | 2023 |
Time and cost at the border (2019)
For one shipment of the country's typical traded product, as measured by the World Bank's Doing Business survey in its last edition; the survey has since been discontinued.
| Indicator | Import | Export |
|---|---|---|
| Border compliance (hours) | 3 | 24 |
| Documentary compliance (hours) | 1.7 | 4 |
| Border compliance (US$) | US$0 | US$280 |
| Documentary compliance (US$) | US$0 | US$25 |
World Bank, World Development Indicators (CC BY 4.0); UNCTADstat (CC BY 3.0 IGO)
Questions and answers
What does the United Kingdom export most?
In 2024, its largest export at the six-digit level was crude oil (HS 2709.00), worth US$17.1bn.
Which customs tariff does the United Kingdom apply?
The United Kingdom applies the UK Global Tariff.
Does the EU have a trade agreement with the United Kingdom?
Yes: goods from the United Kingdom can enter at preferential rates under the EU–United Kingdom agreement, duty-free on 99% of tariff lines, provided they meet the rules of origin and come with proof of origin.