Birmingham, UK: Brexit red tape on British businesses has caused UK-EU goods trade to slump and the problem is getting worse, according to a report by Aston University Business School.
The report examines trade over the three-year period after the Brexit trade deal was signed and shows that the value of UK goods exports to the EU sank 27% and import goods 32%.
The authors said there was a “noticeable worsening of EU-UK trade in 2023”.
“The negative impacts of the [trade agreement] have intensified over time, with 2023 showing more pronounced trade declines than previous years.”
Farmers, clothing makers, and wood and paper manufacturers have been among the hardest hit industries, with many sub-sectors’ EU export value falling by well-over half.
The biggest drop in export value was for edible fruit and nuts, which nosedived 73.5%.
Trade with smaller and more distant countries in the EU has been affected the most, while trade with larger and closer countries has been affected the least.
The authors said many smaller British producers had given up on exporting small amounts to some EU nations since the creation of many forms of post-Brexit trade red tape or non-tariff barriers.
