Scotland’s International Goods Trade: Quarter 4 2022
This report contains trade in goods data from the latest release of HMRC's Regional Trade Statistics (RTS).
Compared to 2021, the value of Scotland’s goods exports to the EU in 2022 showed strong growth, increasing by over a quarter (28.6%, up £4.7 billion) to £21.1 billion. The value of goods exports from the UK to the EU experienced a 35.8% increase over this period, and Scotland’s percentage increase was larger than that of any other UK country and the UK overall. When oil and gas are excluded, the value of Scotland’s goods exports to the EU experienced a smaller increase of 13.8% in 2022 compared with 2021, which is similar to the 14.2% increase experienced by the UK.
Over the longer term, the value of Scotland’s good exports to EU countries increased by 26.2% (up £4.4 billion) in 2022 compared with 2019. This was greater than the 15.0% increase experienced by the UK and was larger than for any of the other UK nations. When oil and gas are excluded, the value of Scotland’s international goods exports to EU countries increased by 24.3% in 2022 compared with 2019, which is greater than the 4.9% increase experienced by the UK excluding oil and gas.
Table 3. The value of Scotland’s goods exports to the EU by UK nation, £ billions, 2019-2022
|
UK Nation |
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
2022 |
2019 v 2022 change (%) |
2020 v 2022 change (%) |
2021 v 2022 change (%) |
|
Scotland |
16.7 |
13.8 |
16.4 |
21.1 |
26.2% |
53.6% |
28.6% |
|
Scotland (exc. Oil & Gas) |
7.6 |
7.4 |
8.3 |
9.4 |
24.3% |
28.3% |
13.8% |
|
England |
123.7 |
104.5 |
110.5 |
133.6 |
8.1% |
27.9% |
20.9% |
|
Wales |
10.8 |
8.0 |
9.1 |
11.6 |
7.7% |
45.4% |
27.5% |
|
Northern Ireland |
5.4 |
4.9 |
5.1 |
5.9 |
9.6% |
20.5% |
16.5% |
|
United Kingdom |
168.5 |
142.6 |
154.3 |
193.7 |
15.0% |
35.8% |
25.6% |
|
United Kingdom (exc. Oil & Gas) |
146.3 |
127.1 |
134.4 |
153.5 |
4.9% |
20.8% |
14.2% |
Source: HMRC RTS, Q4 2022
The increase in value of Scotland’s exports to the EU in 2022 compared to 2021, was primarily driven by an increase in the value of Scotland’s exports of oil and gas to the EU (collectively up £3.5 billion, 43.7%). However, the net mass of oil and gas exported actually decreased by 10.5% over this period, which suggests that an increase in the price of these commodities may have contributed to this large increase in export value.
Figure 4. Scotland saw the largest percentage increase in the value of goods exports to the EU of all the UK nations
Percentage change in goods exports to EU countries by UK nation and UK overall, 2022 compared with 2021
Source: HMRC RTS, Q4 2022
Figure 5. The value of Scotland’s goods exports to EU countries is now higher than before the COVID-19 pandemic.
Value of Scotland's goods exports to EU countries (yearly), 2013 to 2022
Source: HMRC RTS, Q4 2022
Exports of other goods to the EU also performed strongly in 2022 compared with 2021. There were value increases in exports of drinks (up £271 million, 19.5%), general industrial machinery (up £182 million, 35.3%), and power generating machinery (up £173 million, 28.2%). Of the top ten goods exported to the EU, only exports of chemical materials & products experienced a decrease over this period (down £51 million, 9.3%).
Exports of oil, gas, and drinks accounted for almost two thirds (63%) of the value of Scotland’s total goods exports to the EU in 2022.
Table 4. The value of Scotland’s top ten exported goods to the EU, £ millions, 2019-2022
|
Product |
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
2022 |
2019 v 2022 change (%) |
2020 v 2022 change (%) |
2021 v 2022 change (%) |
|
Oil |
8,717 |
6,026 |
6,428 |
8,345 |
-4.3% |
38.5% |
29.8% |
|
Gas |
419 |
354 |
1,700 |
3,332 |
694.6% |
840.8% |
96.0% |
|
Drink |
1,391 |
1,224 |
1,391 |
1,662 |
19.5% |
35.7% |
19.5% |
|
Fish and shellfish |
777 |
709 |
786 |
832 |
7.0% |
17.3% |
5.8% |
|
Power generating machinery |
308 |
230 |
615 |
789 |
155.7% |
243.4% |
28.2% |
|
General industrial machinery |
499 |
434 |
517 |
699 |
40.3% |
61.0% |
35.3% |
|
Chemical materials & products |
340 |
365 |
547 |
496 |
45.9% |
35.8% |
-9.3% |
|
Other transport equipment |
185 |
584 |
302 |
389 |
110.6% |
-33.3% |
28.8% |
|
Medicinal & pharmaceutical products |
333 |
391 |
362 |
369 |
10.7% |
-5.6% |
2.0% |
|
Electrical machinery & appliances |
362 |
335 |
299 |
369 |
1.8% |
10.2% |
23.2% |
Source: HMRC RTS, Q4 2022
Figure 6. Oil was the top good exported to the EU, accounting for 40% of the value of Scotland’s goods exports to EU countries in 2022
Scotland's top ten exported products to the EU, 2022
Source: HMRC RTS, Q4 2022
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