Statistics Netherlands (CBS) reported Tuesday that in 2021, the first year after Britain’s exit from the European Union, 40.5 billion euros worth of goods were transported from the Netherlands to the United Kingdom. This is 9.6 percent less than it was in 2020, when exports have already fallen sharply due to the Corona pandemic.

Although overall exports decreased, the share of Dutch-made exports was larger than in the previous year. In 2020, Dutch products still accounted for 40 per cent of exports to the UK. Last year, that percentage grew to 61 percent.

This is largely due to rising food prices, among other things. Manufactures, such as furniture or other factory-made products, are often exported along with food and drink. For example, computers and specialized machines for making computer chips were also popular.

2021 was the first year since the European Union and the United Kingdom entered into new trade agreements due to Brexit. Since then, additional customs controls and costs have been introduced, which has reduced exports.

The UK formally left the European Union in 2020. With no trade deal in place at the time, the two blocs agreed that the old rules would still apply. However, exports from the Netherlands to the UK had already fallen by 13 per cent by then, although that could also be due to the Corona crisis. Compared to 2019, when the UK was still a year-long member of the European Union, our country exported 21 per cent less last year.