In 2021, the first year after Brexit, 40.5 billion euros worth of goods were transported from the Netherlands to the United Kingdom, Statistics Netherlands (CBS) reported on Tuesday. That is 9.6 percent less than in 2020, when exports had already fallen sharply due to the corona pandemic.
Although total exports have therefore decreased, the share of Dutch-manufactured exports was larger than one year previously. In 2020, Dutch products still accounted for 40 percent of exports to the UK. Last year, that grew to 61 percent.
This is largely due to the higher prices for food, among other things. Manufactures, such as furniture or other products made in a factory, were most often exported together with food and drink. Computers and specialized machines for making computer chips, for example, were also popular.
2021 was the first year since the European Union and the United Kingdom had made new trade agreements because of Brexit. Since then, additional customs controls and costs have been applied, which has led to fewer exports.
The UK officially left the EU in 2020. Since there was no trade deal at the time, the two blocs had agreed that the old rules would still apply. Nevertheless, exports from the Netherlands to the UK had already fallen by 13 percent by then, although that may also have been due to the corona crisis. Compared to 2019, when the UK was still a full year member of the EU, our country exported 21 percent less last year.
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