Ireland has generally had a trade deficit with the UK, that is, we import from the UK more than we export to the UK. The deficit increased from €2 billion in 2016 to €5.4 billion in 2020. It fell to €1.3 billion in 2021, due to both a fall in imports as a result of Great Britain leaving the customs union in January 2021, combined with an increase in the level of exports.
X-axis label | Exports UK | Imports UK | Trade Balance |
---|---|---|---|
Jan 2016 | 1084.76538361782 | 1319.08139252106 | -234.316008903232 |
Feb 2016 | 1105.56473995846 | 1372.20138718168 | -266.636647223216 |
Mar 2016 | 1275.01482451979 | 1400.74960202309 | -125.734777503301 |
Apr 2016 | 1174.12927094433 | 1347.24687263838 | -173.117601694056 |
May 2016 | 1233.94478881425 | 1392.1978203943 | -158.253031580055 |
June 2016 | 1267.06424036927 | 1407.32598547298 | -140.261745103709 |
Brexit referendum | 1213.07748280876 | 1314.30075364112 | -101.223270832351 |
Aug 2016 | 1267.08974881734 | 1366.1179804973 | -99.0282316799635 |
Sep 2016 | 1324.95567783139 | 1461.74324943386 | -136.787571602467 |
Oct 2016 | 1154.44857090138 | 1485.28385435469 | -330.835283453311 |
Nov 2016 | 1761.18119102747 | 1615.02754826043 | 146.153642767034 |
Dec 2016 | 1223.93053678889 | 1645.11086312181 | -421.180326332915 |
Jan 2017 | 1066.31827902956 | 1409.61801230939 | -343.299733279833 |
Feb 2017 | 1271.32701476253 | 1357.9512398137 | -86.6242250511721 |
Article 50 triggered | 1306.17396908661 | 1595.65157393508 | -289.477604848466 |
Apr 2017 | 1581.72022507742 | 1537.69579349623 | 44.0244315811835 |
May 2017 | 1460.96017740302 | 1748.59659947329 | -287.636422070267 |
Jun 2017 | 1371.27929681894 | 1514.68245710782 | -143.403160288887 |
Jul 2017 | 1237.60215476013 | 1455.72409689062 | -218.121942130491 |
Aug 2017 | 1361.90104629996 | 1542.49022970354 | -180.589183403585 |
Sep 2017 | 1549.27927266339 | 1591.50140608106 | -42.2221334176731 |
Oct 2017 | 1316.66514287636 | 1682.78186194121 | -366.116719064851 |
Nov 2017 | 1466.27329191854 | 1793.12684889513 | -326.853556976591 |
Dec 2017 | 1322.98251552774 | 1744.11533302987 | -421.132817502127 |
Jan 2018 | 1338.36234373795 | 1589.35938399715 | -250.997040259194 |
Feb 2018 | 1214.19711235676 | 1508.76745018482 | -294.570337828054 |
Mar 2018 | 1286.16914598495 | 1716.99483527872 | -430.825689293771 |
Apr 2018 | 1196.40372578071 | 1535.64626161194 | -339.242535831226 |
May 2018 | 1373.5863868025 | 1679.4028630161 | -305.816476213598 |
Jun 2018 | 1384.58731702624 | 1614.38846039139 | -229.801143365144 |
Jul 2018 | 1345.00890472492 | 1616.4026102313 | -271.39370550638 |
Aug 2018 | 1323.56703035992 | 1597.88993427207 | -274.322903912153 |
Sep 2018 | 1395.35469340521 | 1666.96817200479 | -271.613478599575 |
Oct 2018 | 1411.71592504397 | 1892.11299521171 | -480.397070167739 |
Nov 2018 | 1475.27996993128 | 1871.98628644528 | -396.706316513998 |
Dec 2018 | 1379.33094671139 | 1742.50893368 | -363.177986968604 |
Jan 2019 | 1248.78602719239 | 1799.92921655643 | -551.14318936404 |
Feb 2019 | 1256.83960223312 | 1700.27279641228 | -443.433194179161 |
Article 50 extended | 1339.89537404819 | 1904.0373829877 | -564.142008939516 |
Apr 2019 | 1394.43690476128 | 1588.78872769969 | -194.351822938414 |
May 2019 | 1486.60954772033 | 1575.5772419923 | -88.9676942719727 |
Jun 2019 | 1258.72465070145 | 1492.69119185721 | -233.966541155758 |
Jul 2019 | 1313.46149081659 | 1664.44545362025 | -350.983962803667 |
Aug 2019 | 1192.43900187325 | 1521.57633708911 | -329.137335215865 |
Sep 2019 | 1277.84017835113 | 1660.80246929535 | -382.962290944221 |
Article 50 extended again | 1560.7288326777 | 2011.55451926754 | -450.825686589835 |
Nov 2019 | 1271.04254893627 | 1753.9207531498 | -482.878204213532 |
Dec 2019 | 1347.6550404214 | 1928.78215212559 | -581.127111704191 |
UK leaves EU | 1272.58352969613 | 1581.81687360719 | -309.233343911053 |
Feb 2020 | 1139.15405691093 | 1548.73506407383 | -409.581007162897 |
Mar 2020 | 1278.53275596994 | 1634.16562335214 | -355.632867382208 |
Apr 2020 | 870.086439650465 | 1293.06533818944 | -422.978898538972 |
May 2020 | 1110.96003390626 | 1371.8291011314 | -260.869067225139 |
Jun 2020 | 1062.12413768348 | 1492.99471003878 | -430.870572355295 |
Jul 2020 | 1142.9775842633 | 1648.88421270539 | -505.906628442098 |
Aug 2020 | 1274.20536167999 | 1432.2098546511 | -158.004492971113 |
Sep 2020 | 1270.07075455309 | 1629.32027056147 | -359.249516008381 |
Oct 2020 | 1220.9073784589 | 2255.04487921772 | -1034.13750075882 |
Nov 2020 | 1695.02867653897 | 2123.67670598949 | -428.648029450512 |
Dec 2020 | 1378.2657604693 | 2126.10105441498 | -747.835293945679 |
UK leaves single market | 1162.92985708278 | 959.108878255859 | 203.820978826921 |
Feb 2021 | 1077.83908838482 | 1136.96280288407 | -59.123714499246 |
Mar 2021 | 1555.85851818113 | 1700.30859810158 | -144.450079920454 |
Apr 2021 | 1349.18852232651 | 1489.20057588016 | -140.012053553653 |
May 2021 | 1501.40088056247 | 1553.99712735357 | -52.5962467911054 |
Jun 2021 | 1753.20993601654 | 1778.37455295666 | -25.1646169401147 |
Jul 2021 | 1790.83712755728 | 1458.66757908514 | 332.169548472142 |
Aug 2021 | 1298.05871461404 | 1605.72716821421 | -307.668453600176 |
Sep 2021 | 1737.16423676024 | 1738.50218878597 | -1.33795202572855 |
Oct 2021 | 1407.91061856762 | 1934.10238521967 | -526.191766652055 |
Nov 2021 | 2066.71239289944 | 1973.95856867565 | 92.7538242237879 |
Dec 2021 | 1481.32491297317 | 2183.51002497407 | -702.185112000903 |
Jan 2022 | 1748.28446929616 | 2130.94575006286 | -382.661280766703 |
Feb 2022 | 1386.97653465659 | 1925.17164588207 | -538.195111225479 |
Mar 2022 | 1815.75375223145 | 2351.14145846516 | -535.387706233706 |
Apr 2022 | 1963.14807398527 | 2430.43087951331 | -467.282805528049 |
May 2022 | 1946.83732540357 | 2377.34273536575 | -430.505409962171 |
Jun 2022 | 2394.27130896359 | 2581.82054710169 | -187.549238138092 |
Table 5.1 Exports to UK 2016-2022 | |||||||
Month | €million | ||||||
2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | |
January | 1,085 | 1,066 | 1,338 | 1,249 | 1,273 | 1,163 | 1,748 |
February | 1,106 | 1,271 | 1,214 | 1,257 | 1,139 | 1,078 | 1,387 |
March | 1,275 | 1,306 | 1,286 | 1,340 | 1,279 | 1,556 | 1,816 |
April | 1,174 | 1,582 | 1,196 | 1,394 | 870 | 1,349 | 1,963 |
May | 1,234 | 1,461 | 1,374 | 1,487 | 1,111 | 1,501 | 1,946 |
June | 1,267 | 1,371 | 1,385 | 1,259 | 1,062 | 1,753 | 2,394 |
July | 1,213 | 1,238 | 1,345 | 1,313 | 1,143 | 1,791 | |
August | 1,267 | 1,362 | 1,324 | 1,192 | 1,274 | 1,298 | |
September | 1,325 | 1,549 | 1,395 | 1,278 | 1,270 | 1,737 | |
October | 1,154 | 1,317 | 1,412 | 1,561 | 1,221 | 1,408 | |
November | 1,761 | 1,466 | 1,475 | 1,271 | 1,695 | 2,067 | |
December | 1,224 | 1,323 | 1,379 | 1,348 | 1,378 | 1,481 | |
Total | 15,085 | 16,312 | 16,124 | 15,948 | 14,715 | 18,182 | 11,255 |
Table 5.2 Imports from UK 2016-2022 | |||||||
Month | €million | ||||||
2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | |
January | 1,319 | 1,410 | 1,589 | 1,800 | 1,582 | 959 | 2,131 |
February | 1,372 | 1,358 | 1,509 | 1,700 | 1,549 | 1,137 | 1,925 |
March | 1,401 | 1,596 | 1,717 | 1,904 | 1,634 | 1,700 | 2,351 |
April | 1,347 | 1,538 | 1,536 | 1,589 | 1,293 | 1,489 | 2,430 |
May | 1,392 | 1,749 | 1,679 | 1,576 | 1,372 | 1,554 | 2,377 |
June | 1,407 | 1,515 | 1,614 | 1,493 | 1,493 | 1,778 | 2,582 |
July | 1,314 | 1,456 | 1,616 | 1,664 | 1,649 | 1,459 | |
August | 1,366 | 1,542 | 1,598 | 1,522 | 1,432 | 1,606 | |
September | 1,462 | 1,592 | 1,667 | 1,661 | 1,629 | 1,739 | |
October | 1,485 | 1,683 | 1,892 | 2,012 | 2,255 | 1,934 | |
November | 1,615 | 1,793 | 1,872 | 1,754 | 2,124 | 1,974 | |
December | 1,645 | 1,744 | 1,743 | 1,929 | 2,126 | 2,184 | |
Total | 17,126 | 18,974 | 20,032 | 20,602 | 20,138 | 19,512 | 13,797 |
Table 5.3 Trade Balance with UK 2016-2022 | |||||||
Month | €million | ||||||
2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | |
January | -234 | -343 | -251 | -551 | -309 | 204 | -383 |
February | -267 | -87 | -295 | -443 | -410 | -59 | -538 |
March | -126 | -289 | -431 | -564 | -356 | -144 | -535 |
April | -173 | 44 | -339 | -194 | -423 | -140 | -467 |
May | -158 | -288 | -306 | -89 | -261 | -53 | -431 |
June | -140 | -143 | -230 | -234 | -431 | -25 | -188 |
July | -101 | -218 | -271 | -351 | -506 | 332 | |
August | -99 | -181 | -274 | -329 | -158 | -308 | |
September | -137 | -42 | -272 | -383 | -359 | -1 | |
October | -331 | -366 | -480 | -451 | -1,034 | -526 | |
November | 146 | -327 | -397 | -483 | -429 | 93 | |
December | -421 | -421 | -363 | -581 | -748 | -702 | |
Total | -2,041 | -2,661 | -3,909 | -4,654 | -5,423 | -1,330 | -2,542 |
Exports to Great Britain fell from €13.4 billion in 2019 to €12.3 billion in 2020 and recovered to €14.4 billion in 2021. Exports to Northern Ireland were around €2.5 billion in 2019 and 2020, but increased to €3.7 billion in 2021 after Great Britain left the single market but Northern Ireland remained within it.
Imports from Great Britain fell from €18.2 billion in 2019 to €15.4 billion in 2021. Imports from Northern Ireland increased from €2.4 billion in 2019 and 2020 to €4 billion in 2021. Imports of Chemicals & Related Products increased from €250 million in 2019 to €850 million in 2021. Imports of Food & Live Animals from Northern Ireland increased from €720 million to over €1 billion over the same period.
Ireland’s exports to Northern Ireland as a share of total UK exports have increased from 16% to 23% between Q1 2019 and Q1 2022, while the share of imports has increased from 12% to 18% over the same time period.
X-axis label | NI Imports | GB Imports | NI Exports | GB Exports |
---|---|---|---|---|
2019 Q1 | 12.0163096620499 | 87.9836903379501 | 16.0878739303038 | 83.9121260696962 |
2019 Q2 | 12.7029657293217 | 87.2970342706783 | 14.6861371635485 | 85.3138628364515 |
2019 Q3 | 11.7103764302044 | 88.2896235697956 | 16.8177962280381 | 83.1822037719619 |
2019 Q4 | 9.92798976645922 | 90.0720102335408 | 15.6602406054747 | 84.3397593945253 |
2020 Q1 | 12.8584266299045 | 87.1415733700955 | 16.3128230412356 | 83.6871769587644 |
2020 Q2 | 12.2867169459485 | 87.7132830540515 | 17.6110265982258 | 82.3889734017742 |
2020 Q3 | 13.5324316143192 | 86.4675683856808 | 17.7676791971913 | 82.2323208028087 |
2020 Q4 | 9.81897974519466 | 90.1810202548053 | 14.2669808124908 | 85.7330191875092 |
2021 Q1 | 22.869687114858 | 77.130312885142 | 19.8870189833745 | 80.1129810166255 |
2021 Q2 | 22.5449605600778 | 77.4550394399222 | 21.7523118768485 | 78.2476881231515 |
2021 Q3 | 20.2065769633111 | 79.7934230366889 | 19.81757326461 | 80.18242673539 |
2021 Q4 | 18.3588180409372 | 81.6411819590628 | 21.2149783693456 | 78.7850216306544 |
2022 Q1 | 18.4839797572767 | 81.5160202427233 | 22.3108528753878 | 77.6891471246122 |
2022 Q2 | 15.9085495797479 | 84.0914504202521 | 20.0066600647775 | 79.9933399352225 |
Exports of Food & Live Animals comprise between a quarter and a third of total goods exports to the UK. Exports of Chemicals & Related Products have increased from €959 million in Q1 2019 to over €1.5 billion by the end of 2021. Total exports to the UK have increased from €3.8 billion in Q1 2019 to €4.9 billion in Q1 2022.
Commodities and transactions not classified elsewhere | Miscellaneous manufactured articles | Machinery and transport equipment | Manufactured goods classified chiefly by material | Chemicals and related products | Animal and vegetable oils, fats and waxes | Mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials | Crude materials, inedible, except fuels | Beverages and tobacco | Food and live animals | |
Q1 2019 | 104.056067320965 | 382.757345531641 | 544.867589622134 | 324.941046038456 | 958.534859037803 | 6.23409294230673 | 146.747699070849 | 128.435684696601 | 75.6931451408421 | 1173.2534740721 |
Q2 2019 | 103.786919929711 | 347.788820133504 | 693.212061280925 | 315.786281572026 | 1345.04065316299 | 6.531489 | 54.0005823677364 | 132.389274785299 | 69.8802840071824 | 1071.35473694368 |
Q3 2019 | 105.548705682037 | 358.556231021113 | 532.173495909958 | 312.276991674626 | 1009.99536596566 | 4.71378693514239 | 136.947984459554 | 114.346208162471 | 76.0043304384287 | 1133.17757079197 |
Q4 2019 | 107.654608311356 | 379.636278604609 | 626.627653361387 | 344.350487787652 | 1105.82165030578 | 5.64091402194822 | 84.9530075970928 | 110.904850264354 | 81.253242104615 | 1332.58372967658 |
Q1 2020 | 109.384069728646 | 352.206085142132 | 641.267366645265 | 293.670752187477 | 919.55232065511 | 6.31233230348044 | 111.663862584716 | 112.745036742065 | 62.156453549224 | 1081.31206303889 |
Q2 2020 | 99.7692184720309 | 244.37363945263 | 381.001729843303 | 198.311435976337 | 920.784220190424 | 6.01223209554729 | 33.3294365791754 | 94.254687852011 | 55.4592676786302 | 1009.87474310012 |
Q3 2020 | 84.0868622962699 | 341.846469064593 | 490.804108809341 | 308.776008452157 | 1048.89341761259 | 7.32262888986239 | 51.1168633973734 | 114.591215619884 | 76.0367127512936 | 1163.77941360301 |
Q4 2020 | 88.3107243023516 | 361.260781825264 | 547.904693826383 | 316.222595802242 | 1266.02802025962 | 7.95535323682983 | 134.136892064169 | 124.543327655067 | 80.6952802012396 | 1367.14414629401 |
Q1 2021 | 21.3948153887877 | 350.84869582064 | 603.592147857781 | 327.200021117822 | 1275.11293809584 | 6.01763282724477 | 74.59098605268 | 142.202586443558 | 61.2672341857855 | 934.400405858599 |
Q2 2021 | 32.826598906628 | 433.13275523429 | 766.065264652984 | 386.656710387681 | 1455.62257421312 | 7.29548359398846 | 63.59301490626 | 149.437252057835 | 89.8689836622906 | 1219.30070129044 |
Q3 2021 | 21.5102385816999 | 433.905598131444 | 760.625837767365 | 401.101758335012 | 1559.71725278859 | 6.6191629224943 | 95.477244663713 | 157.424115742717 | 80.9724847739493 | 1308.70638522458 |
Q4 2021 | 24.9379388019014 | 440.848252731621 | 647.116004266801 | 390.531188813268 | 1651.59973799309 | 9.02506497626968 | 209.202399997876 | 156.557660416313 | 103.547935001138 | 1322.58174144195 |
Q1 2022 | 35.6710250619026 | 501.608052975121 | 745.910067087588 | 411.209428468516 | 1544.41251284071 | 8.92795784852783 | 274.884272314131 | 168.758968117814 | 74.0194795297052 | 1206.82910195838 |
Q2 2022 | 30.7726499759532 | 491.018379614694 | 870.025392425736 | 435.454686937739 | 2469.71716905915 | 11.3915254768893 | 293.236822475831 | 194.724224735738 | 81.4740324184983 | 1412.61360800391 |
Imports from the UK were €5.4 billion in Q1 2019. They fell to €4.2 billion in Q2 2020, just after the UK left the EU. Imports had recovered to €6.5 billion by the last quarter of 2020, due in part to stockpiling by importers who anticipated difficulties with customs checks when Great Britain left the customs union at the end of 2020. This is reflected in the decrease in imports from the UK in Q1 2021 to €3.8 billion.
Imports have increased again since and were €6.4 billion in Q1 2022.
Commodities and transactions not classified elsewhere | Miscellaneous manufactured articles | Machinery and transport equipment | Manufactured goods classified chiefly by material | Chemicals and related products | Animal and vegetable oils, fats and waxes | Mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials | Crude materials, inedible, except fuels | Beverages and tobacco | Food and live animals | |
Q1 2019 | 319.397204782688 | 597.533571121216 | 1211.06488895331 | 596.189094745422 | 771.618757130883 | 16.4679703800398 | 738.543713486316 | 77.2700120616489 | 98.9555258350218 | 977.198657459871 |
Q2 2019 | 308.799878684499 | 550.418249699371 | 983.964144180511 | 577.26022855519 | 591.777466850015 | 12.7321813832297 | 580.791800762286 | 78.2039171114957 | 104.682802039881 | 868.426492282725 |
Q3 2019 | 317.164593556959 | 585.755292575198 | 961.895359846229 | 573.652197192619 | 588.422670269033 | 13.7074182508053 | 681.165268327109 | 66.4666561049613 | 135.129193914637 | 923.465609967166 |
Q4 2019 | 306.107078644898 | 696.602493662083 | 1083.06648742151 | 572.901230441157 | 886.825055970637 | 16.5421656702065 | 850.214670770838 | 63.9713342995972 | 115.577846337054 | 1102.44906132496 |
Q1 2020 | 277.492890246532 | 554.106834790038 | 1010.8622909031 | 619.921933972008 | 577.666796550095 | 18.7913448185108 | 596.526004013986 | 67.706517731793 | 87.3591993957823 | 954.28374861132 |
Q2 2020 | 256.627022023449 | 625.36253126986 | 855.810664518492 | 472.962496234657 | 573.79836341916 | 14.5823082228355 | 343.112149552154 | 65.6083355187026 | 116.675997800945 | 833.34928079936 |
Q3 2020 | 255.889823853628 | 659.980664579443 | 1076.76006257726 | 630.329280663292 | 595.096498846628 | 18.275240171752 | 376.296877076932 | 66.1753844938925 | 135.554714202747 | 896.055791452392 |
Q4 2020 | 266.922233834625 | 790.316550262688 | 1587.85835278042 | 663.672387468378 | 1275.39135680169 | 20.3644663227569 | 524.962014428132 | 72.2938854880922 | 138.367484145582 | 1164.67390808982 |
Q1 2021 | 100.986642053975 | 519.412576731398 | 795.448700906574 | 511.204828684693 | 611.97292043596 | 13.4929284347364 | 477.267210788834 | 52.2886944166142 | 77.5226125597304 | 636.783164228999 |
Q2 2021 | 99.17162637404 | 674.726294642869 | 1037.74521904484 | 607.646482859529 | 831.62934047877 | 14.7169193640967 | 658.845785461535 | 68.2151877742369 | 118.39664883813 | 710.478751352347 |
Q3 2021 | 88.2796732794034 | 571.582975330185 | 905.574964440716 | 648.13893459987 | 838.472870012742 | 21.0356564508995 | 809.995688864421 | 63.6273153745217 | 118.699198581542 | 737.489659151024 |
Q4 2021 | 78.489225812395 | 704.512173579262 | 990.343618875029 | 640.72031124362 | 1258.65918221066 | 29.383836524805 | 1232.75511439422 | 69.1060621307513 | 118.977586918968 | 968.623867179689 |
Q1 2022 | 102.345157831821 | 569.849838777859 | 1048.59707469941 | 695.87869023408 | 1289.27707375379 | 26.7263611739336 | 1680.59103613269 | 67.9084790029887 | 101.332879413597 | 813.594330518138 |
Q2 2022 | 102.361893311023 | 612.486063243073 | 951.723540626731 | 726.432133909044 | 1841.46775925367 | 35.1149279719675 | 2084.18446745761 | 70.3283180861749 | 131.432352208794 | 856.607278232409 |
Total exports of Food & Live Animals fell from over €1.3 billion in Q4 2020 to below €1 billion in Q1 2021, when the UK left the single market, but has since recovered and was over €1.4 billion in Q2 2022. Exports of Meat & Meat Preparations accounts for between 35% and 40% of total Food & Live Animals exports.
Imports of Food & Live Animals from the UK tends to peak in Q4 of each year. It was at its highest in Q4 2020, where it was noted that there was stockpiling of goods by importers ahead of the new customs arrangements which came into force for Great Britian in January 2021. Imports fell to €637 million in Q1 2021 but recovered through that year and was valued at €969 million in Q4 2021.
X-axis label | Exports | Imports |
---|---|---|
2019 Q1 | 1173.2534740721 | 977.198657459871 |
2019 Q2 | 1071.35473694368 | 868.426492282725 |
2019 Q3 | 1133.17757079197 | 923.465609967166 |
2019 Q4 | 1332.58372967658 | 1102.44906132496 |
2020 Q1 | 1081.31206303889 | 954.28374861132 |
2020 Q2 | 1009.87474310012 | 833.34928079936 |
2020 Q3 | 1163.77941360301 | 896.055791452393 |
2020 Q4 | 1367.14414629401 | 1164.67390808982 |
2021 Q1 | 934.400405858599 | 636.783164228999 |
2021 Q2 | 1219.30070129044 | 710.478751352347 |
2021 Q3 | 1308.70638522458 | 737.489659151024 |
2021 Q4 | 1322.58174144195 | 968.623867179688 |
2022 Q1 | 1180.80779953792 | 812.575019826306 |
2022 Q2 | 1401.59003648174 | 845.691198276231 |
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