An analysis of official data shows that the UK’s overall share of manufacturing exports to the EU increased in 2022 to 52 per cent from 50 per cent in 2019. However, this was a result of sharp increases in the share of exports to the EU from Northern Ireland and Scotland over the same period, without which the overall UK share of goods exports would be on a downward trend.

Northern Ireland currently enjoys a unique ‘dual access’ position retaining access to the Single Market for goods and being able to trade goods freely into the rest of Great Britain, while in Scotland the oil and gas sector and its supply chains boosted exports to the EU during the ongoing Ukraine crisis.

The share of goods exports to both Asia & Oceania and North America has remained relatively stable, the report found, at around 16 per cent since 2019. This indicates that UK manufacturers are looking at opportunities outside their traditional big three markets.

According to Make...