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United Kingdom-Germany Bilateral Trade Analysis 2023

Complete trade statistics: $118.68B total volume •United Kingdom deficit: $42.65B

United Kingdom → Germany

$38.01B

Exports (2023)

Germany → United Kingdom

$80.67B

Imports (2023)

Trade Balance

$42.65B

Deficit for United Kingdom

Total Trade

$118.68B

Combined Volume

Trade Flow Visualization

Direct trade relationship between United Kingdom and Germany. Green line shows exports from United Kingdom, red line shows imports.

Detailed Product Trade Analysis

Comprehensive breakdown of trade flows by product category, revealing the specialized nature of the United Kingdom-Germany commercial relationship and competitive positioning in global markets.

United Kingdom → Germany Exports

$38.01B

2023 Total

Export Market Intelligence

Product Diversity:

Highly Diversified

Market Share:

8.8% top product

1Oils: petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous minerals, crude

$3.33B

8.8% of exports

2Aircraft and spacecraft: parts of aeroplanes or helicopters n.e.c. in heading no. 8803

$3.19B

8.4% of exports

3Turbines: parts of turbo-jets and turbo-propellers

$1.70B

4.5% of exports

4Medicaments: consisting of mixed or unmixed products n.e.c. in heading no. 3004, for therapeutic or prophylactic uses, packaged for retail sale

$1.31B

3.4% of exports

5Turbo-jets: of a thrust exceeding 25kN

$867.00M

2.3% of exports

6Vehicles: with only electric motor for propulsion

$851.41M

2.2% of exports

7Vehicles: with only spark-ignition internal combustion reciprocating piston engine, cylinder capacity over 3000cc

$764.34M

2.0% of exports

8Vehicles: with both spark-ignition internal combustion reciprocating piston engine and electric motor for propulsion, incapable of being charged by plugging to external source of electric power

$491.12M

1.3% of exports

9Medical, surgical instruments and appliances: magnetic resonance imaging apparatus

$419.13M

1.1% of exports

10Aluminium: unwrought, alloys

$400.64M

1.1% of exports

🎯 Strategic Export Focus

United Kingdom's export portfolio to Germany demonstrates strong diversification across multiple sectors, with oils: petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous minerals, crude representing a key competitive advantage in this bilateral market.

Germany → United Kingdom Imports

$80.67B

2023 Total

Import Dependency Profile

Supply Diversity:

Well Diversified

Critical Imports:

6.5% concentration

1Vehicles: with only electric motor for propulsion

$5.21B

6.5% of imports

2Metals: gold, non-monetary, unwrought (but not powder)

$2.92B

3.6% of imports

3Vehicles: with only spark-ignition internal combustion reciprocating piston engine, cylinder capacity over 1000 but not over 1500cc

$2.73B

3.4% of imports

4Vehicles: with only spark-ignition internal combustion reciprocating piston engine, cylinder capacity over 1500 but not over 3000cc

$2.60B

3.2% of imports

5Medicaments: consisting of mixed or unmixed products n.e.c. in heading no. 3004, for therapeutic or prophylactic uses, packaged for retail sale

$1.89B

2.3% of imports

6Vehicles: with both spark-ignition internal combustion reciprocating piston engine and electric motor for propulsion, capable of being charged by plugging to external source of electric power

$1.39B

1.7% of imports

7Aeroplanes and other aircraft: of an unladen weight exceeding 15,000kg

$1.37B

1.7% of imports

8Vehicles: with only compression-ignition internal combustion piston engine (diesel or semi-diesel), cylinder capacity over 1500 but not over 2500cc

$1.07B

1.3% of imports

9Vehicles: compression-ignition internal combustion piston engine (diesel or semi-diesel), for transport of goods, (of a gvw not exceeding 5 tonnes), n.e.c. in item no 8704.1

$1.03B

1.3% of imports

10Aluminium: plates, sheets and strip, thickness exceeding 0.2mm, alloys, rectangular (including square)

$994.37M

1.2% of imports

📦 Import Strategy Analysis

United Kingdom's import pattern from Germany reveals significant dependencyin vehicles: with only electric motor for propulsion, highlighting complementary economic structures and potential supply chain optimization opportunities.

Competitive Trade Position Analysis

🏆

Market Leadership

United Kingdom demonstrates competitive strength in exportingoils: petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous minerals, crude to Germany, leveraging comparative advantages.

Export Leader in 20+ Categories

🔄

Trade Complementarity

The bilateral relationship showsmoderatecomplementarity, with each country specializing in different sectors.

Specialized Exchange

📈

Growth Potential

The $118.68B trade volume indicates substantial economic integration with room for expansion in emerging sectors.

Major Partnership

Executive Summary: United Kingdom-Germany Trade Relationship

Key Trade Highlights 2023

Total Trade Volume: $118.68 billionrepresenting a significant bilateral economic relationship
Trade Balance: United Kingdom maintains a deficit of $42.65 billion
Export Focus: United Kingdom's primary exports include oils: petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous minerals, crude, aircraft and spacecraft: parts of aeroplanes or helicopters n.e.c. in heading no. 8803, turbines: parts of turbo-jets and turbo-propellers
Import Dependencies: Key imports from Germany include vehicles: with only electric motor for propulsion, metals: gold, non-monetary, unwrought (but not powder), vehicles: with only spark-ignition internal combustion reciprocating piston engine, cylinder capacity over 1000 but not over 1500cc

Strategic Trade Indicators

Trade IntensityHigh

Export DiversificationDiversified

Trade Balance HealthImbalanced

📈 Market Position: This bilateral trade relationship represents one of the world's largest trade partnerships, with complementary economic strengths driving sustained commercial exchange.

Historical Trade Analysis & Economic Context

Trade Evolution Timeline

2019-2023: Recent Trends

Current trade volume of $118.68B represents the culmination of evolving bilateral commercial relationships, influenced by global supply chain shifts and changing economic priorities.

2015-2019: Growth Period

Sustained expansion in bilateral trade driven by complementary economic structures, with United Kingdom leveraging its comparative advantages in oils: petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous minerals, crude.

2010-2015: Foundation Building

Establishment of modern trade frameworks and reduction of barriers, facilitating increased commercial exchange and investment flows between the two economies.

Pre-2010: Early Development

Initial stages of bilateral trade relationship development, with focus on traditional export-import patterns and gradual market integration.

Key Economic Drivers

Comparative Advantage

United Kingdom's specialization in oils: petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous minerals, crudecomplements Germany's demand patterns, creating natural trade synergies.

Supply Chain Integration

Deep integration in global value chains has strengthened bilateral linkages, particularly in vehicles: with only electric motor for propulsion.

Market Access & Trade Policy

Favorable trade agreements and market access conditions have facilitated the growth of this $118.68B bilateral relationship.

Trade Pattern Insights

Trade ComplementarityAsymmetric

Seasonal VariationsModerate

Product ConcentrationLow

Market DependencyHigh

🔮

Trade Relationship Outlook

The $118.68B bilateral trade volume positions this relationship for continued growth, supported by technological advancement, evolving consumer preferences, and strengthening economic ties. Key opportunities lie in expanding cooperation in emerging sectors while managing potential supply chain vulnerabilities.

Economic Impact & Strategic Outlook

Economic Impact Assessment

💰

Trade Volume Impact

The $118.68 billion bilateral trade volume represents a major economic driverfor both economies.

Economic Significance: Critical

🏭

Industrial Integration

Trade flows in oils: petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous minerals, crude and vehicles: with only electric motor for propulsion demonstrate deep industrial linkages and supply chain integration.

Supply Chain Integration: Diversified

⚖️

Trade Balance Effects

United Kingdom's trade deficit of $42.65 billion impacts its overall economic position in this bilateral relationship.

Balance Impact: Import Dependency

Strategic Future Outlook

🚀Growth Opportunities

Emerging Sectors

Technology transfer and innovation cooperation in aircraft and spacecraft: parts of aeroplanes or helicopters n.e.c. in heading no. 8803 present expansion opportunities.

Market Diversification

Beyond current focus on vehicles: with only electric motor for propulsion, new product categories offer potential for trade expansion.

⚠️Risk Factors

Supply Chain Vulnerabilities

Moderate concentration in key sectors requires monitoring

Market Competition

Global competition in oils: petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous minerals, crude may affect future market positioning.

🎯Strategic Recommendations

Strengthen cooperation in high-value sectors beyond current trade patterns
Develop alternative supply chains to reduce dependency risks
Explore joint ventures in emerging technology sectors
Enhance trade facilitation and reduce transaction costs

Market Position & Competitive Summary

The bilateral trade relationship between United Kingdom and Germany represents a total trade volume of $118.68 billion in 2023. This partnership demonstrates an unfavorable trade balance for United Kingdom, with imports exceeding exportsby $42.65 billion.

Export Strengths

United Kingdom's exports to Germany total $38.01 billion, with competitive advantages in oils: petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous minerals, crude, representing $3.33B or8.8% of bilateral exports.

Import Dependencies

Imports from Germany amount to $80.67 billion, highlighting economic interdependence in vehicles: with only electric motor for propulsion, with Vehicles: with only electric motor for propulsion comprising6.5% of total imports.

The trade relationship reflects broader economic patterns and comparative advantages. The trade deficit indicates United Kingdom's strategic sourcing from Germany. This partnership is characterized by complementary trade flows, with each country specializing in different product categories based on their respective economic strengths, industrial capabilities, and position in global value chains.

Download Bilateral Trade Data

Access detailed trade data between United Kingdom and Germany in multiple formats.

Data Source: CEPII BACI (Base pour l'Analyse du Commerce International) • Last Updated: January 2025 • Coverage: 1995-2023