Exports statistics Scotland 2021

In 2021, Scotland's exports to the EU were lower than before the pandemic and EU exit

In 2021, Scotland’s exports to the EU valued an estimated £15.0 billion, accounting for just under half (48%) of Scotland’s international exports. 

The value of Scotland’s exports to the EU decreased in 2020, compared to 2019 and remained almost constant between 2020 and 2021, increasing by just half a percent. This means that in 2021, the value of Scotland’s exports to the EU was 11.7% lower than in 2019. 

The drop in EU exports in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, was largely driven by the value of exports of ‘coke, refined petroleum products, chemicals and chemical products’ dropping by a quarter (down £795 million). In 2021, there was a large drop in the value of ‘transportation and storage’ exports to the EU (down by more than a third), which is why EU exports broadly remained the same in 2021 compared to 2020, despite increases in other sectors.

Figure 3. The value of Scotland’s EU exports decreased in 2020 and remained broadly the same in 2021

The estimated value of Scotland’s exports to EU and non-EU destinations, from 2019 to 2021