°Ç¸ç³Ô¹Ï

²Ñ±ð³Ù²¹»å²¹³Ù²¹Ìý

Data behind this bulletin is available through theÌýÌý·É±ð²ú²õ¾±³Ù±ð:Ìý

• Ìýdetailed trade statistics data at 8-digit commodity code level is available in ourÌýÌýÌýÌý
• Ìý²¹²µ²µ°ù±ð²µ²¹³Ù±ðÌýOTSÌýdata is available inÌýÌý

Data SourcesÌý

From 31 December 2020, the free movement of people and goods and services between theÌýUKÌýand the European Union (EU) ended. This meant the wayÌýHMRCÌýhad been collecting trade in goods statistics was revised.ÌýÌýÌý

UKÌýtoÌýEUÌýexportsÌýÌýÌý

For goods moving from 1 January 2021,ÌýGBÌýtoÌýEUÌýexport statistics have been compiled directly from customs export declarations made according to the requirements of the Taxation (Cross Border Trade) Act. Intrastat survey returns, however, continued to be collected for goods exported from Northern Ireland to theÌýEU, under the terms of theÌýWindsor Framework.ÌýÌýÌý

Both theÌýGBÌýtoÌýEUÌýcustoms export declaration data andÌýNIÌýIntrastat export (dispatch) data were incorporated into the overallÌýUKÌýtoÌýEUÌýexport data set.ÌýÌý

As a result of the changes and differences outlined above, there was a break in the timeseries for publishedÌýUKÌýtoÌýEUÌýexport statistics from January 2021.Ìý

UKÌýimports fromÌýEUÌýÌýÌý

UKÌýimports fromÌýEUÌýstatistics were not impacted by any change in 2021. The Intrastat survey continued to operate for allÌýUKÌý(GBÌýandÌýNI) imports (arrivals) from theÌýEU, to mitigate the effects of staging customs controls, and to comply with theÌýWindsor Framework.Ìý

However, from 1 January 2022, Intrastat only applied for movements of goods between Northern Ireland and theÌýEU. Statistics on movements toÌýGBÌýfrom theÌýEUÌýhave been compiled directly from customs import declarations. Both theÌýEUÌýtoÌýGBÌýcustoms import declaration data andÌýNIÌýIntrastat import (arrivals) data were incorporated into the overallÌýEUÌýtoÌýUKÌýimport data set.Ìý

As a result of the changes and differences outlined above, there was a break in the timeseries for publishedÌýEUÌýtoÌýUKÌýimport statistics from January 2022.Ìý

Northern Ireland TradeÌýÌýÌý

Figures derived from Intrastat include the following:ÌýÌýÌý

• estimates for businesses who have yet to submit detailed data on the trade they had with otherÌýEUÌýmember states this monthÌýÌýÌý
• estimates for businesses who do not have to submit detailed data on the trade they have with otherÌýEUÌýmember statesÌýÌýÌý

Estimates are included in all high-level totals including commodity (HS2) and country totals.Ìý

Non-EUÌýtradeÌý

Non-EUÌýtrade statistics are compiled from customs declarations collected by theÌýCHIEFÌý(Customs Handling of Import and Export Freight) system. Declarations collected via the Customs Declarations Service (CDS) are included: for imports from August 2020 month of account; and for exports from December 2020 month of account onwards. Detailed trade information is presented according to theÌýÌýnomenclature.Ìý

Low Value TradeÌý

For trade in goods collected from custom declarations (UKÌýtrade withÌýnon-EUÌýandÌýGBÌýtrade withÌýEU), imports and exports of an individual value of £873 or less are aggregated underÌýSITCÌýgroup 931, ‘Special transactions and commodities not classified according to kind’, and classified to a single commodity code, 99500000. This trade is not analysed either by commodity or country. Statistics for individual commodities are therefore deficient by these amounts.ÌýÌý

For Intrastat (NI-EU), transactions (that is, invoice lines) with a value of £175 or less can be aggregated and classified to a single commodity code (9950 0000).ÌýÌý

As a result, trade in some commodities may appear as nil trade, if all trade in that commodity falls in the low value aggregate.Ìý

For August 2024 exports, more trade than normal went into Low Value aggregate, instead of the comcode and country specific trade. This was a one-off occurrence to ensure export declarations that did not ‘digitally’ clear customs formalities were included in the released trade statistics.

Repair, maintenance and processing

The compilation of theÌýOTSÌýfollows the guidelines set out by theÌý, whereby the imports and exports of goods for repair and maintenance should be excluded, whereas processing of goods are included in the trade statistics.

The data limitations of the Customs Procedure Codes and Nature of Transaction on the customs declarations can sometimes make it difficult to differentiate between repairs, maintenance or processing. This limitation does not allow us to always follow this exact methodology.

According to theÌýUNÌýIMTSÌýmanual, regular repair or maintenance might be difficult to distinguish from refitting or refurbishing, which results into an essentially new product whose import and subsequent export need to be included in theÌýOTS.

MethodologyÌý

TheÌýUKÌýtrade in goods statistics: methodologiesÌýcover:Ìý

• data sourcesÌýÌý
• classifications and definitionsÌý
• quality assuranceÌý
• publications
• governanceÌý

It is a useful companion to the trade data, providing the definitions and methodologies on which the data are based. The most recent changes in theÌýOTSÌýmethodology are covered in this paper.ÌýÌýÌý

GoldÌý

HMRCÌýcollects data on gold. Gold may be held as a reserve asset by a monetary authority. If so, this gold is classified as monetary gold and is recorded in theÌýUKÌýNational Accounts (compiled by the Office for National Statistics) but excluded from theÌýOTS.Ìý

Gold that is not held as a reserve asset by a monetary authority is classified as non-monetary gold (NMG) and is included in theÌýOTS. This forms part of Precious metals and includes scrap and jewellery.Ìý

Data relating to monthly import and export totals for January 2018 onwards with a breakdown of non-monetary gold is available in theÌý.

Relationship with other statistical publicationsÌýÌý

The aggregate estimates here will differ slightly from those that are published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) as part of theÌý, as the 2 sets of data are compiled to different sets of rules. TheÌýONSÌýwebsite provides an overview ofÌýBoP, where you can find their detailed monthlyÌý. TheÌýBoPÌýpublication shows a high-level picture ofÌýUKÌýtrade-in-goods, whereas theÌýOTSÌýpublication shows a detailed picture of theÌýUK’s trade-in-goods by commodity and partner country.ÌýÌýÌý

Accredited official statistics publicationÌý

TheÌýUKÌýoverseas trade in goods statistics (OTS) were independently reviewed by the Office for Statistics Regulation in October 2010 with publication of theÌýÌýin February 2011. They comply with the standards of trustworthiness, quality and value in the Code of Practice for Statistics and should be labelled ‘accredited official statistics’.ÌýÌýare called National Statistics in the Statistics and Registration Service Act 2007.ÌýÌý

HM Revenue & Customs released these latest statistics on overseas trade with countries on 13 August 2026 under arrangements set out in theÌý.ÌýÌý

This release includes the first provisional estimates of trade in goods between theÌýUKÌýand both countries of theÌýEUÌýand those outside theÌýEUÌýfor June 2026. At the same time revisions for all previously publishedÌýnon-EUÌýandÌýEUÌýdata for 2026 are also being released in line with theÌýHM Revenue & Customs Policy on Revisions.Ìý

The next three publications are due for release on the following days:Ìý

Month of account	First release date
July 2026	11 September 2026	Ìý
August 2026	15 October 2026	Ìý
September 2026	12 November 2026	Ìý

Our statistical practice is regulated by the Office for Statistics Regulation (OSR).Ìý

OSRÌýsets the standards of trustworthiness, quality and value in theÌýÌýthat all producers of official statistics should adhere to.ÌýÌý

You are welcome to contact us directly with any comments about how we meet these standards by emailingÌýuktradeinfo@hmrc.gov.uk.Ìý

Alternatively, you can contactÌýOSRÌýby emailingÌýregulation@statistics.gov.ukÌýor via theÌý.Ìý