Widening UK-EU trade gap sparks push for border reforms: Logistics UK

UK exports to the EU have plunged by 23 per cent between 2017 and 2024, exposing a widening trade imbalance since Brexit, according to Logistics UK.
'Between 2017 and 2024, total exports to the EU fell by 23 per cent from 106.4 million tonnes to 82.4 million tonnes, while imports from the EU declined only by 5 per cent - from 111.6 million to 105.5 million tonnes. This suggests UK exporters have faced greater frictions post-Brexit, while imports have been more resilient,' said Phil Roe, president of Logistics UK, speaking at the Multimodal 2025 event at the NEC.
Logistics UK's analysis, conducted with MDS Transmodal, showed similar trends in containerised trade, where exports to the EU fell 21 per cent in Twenty-foot Equivalent Units (TEUs), while imports dropped just 5 per cent. Roe pointed out that the UK's reliance on the EU has not changed, but export volumes have declined sharply, indicating greater post-Brexit trade friction for UK businesses.
Roe highlighted the broader global context—COVID-19, the Ukraine war, and the Red Sea crisis—but stressed that Brexit-related red tape has created disproportionate burdens on UK exporters. Roe attributed this to perceptions among EU traders that the UK is now more difficult to trade with.
'Trade associations in Netherlands and France tell us that working between the EU and GB is now seen as a specialist job for drivers moving these kinds of products, because of the delays and checks they will face. To put the logistics sector in the best position to help drive growth across the whole economy, the government needs to rectify this by working with the EU to help remove friction and delays at our borders,' he said.
Roe called for urgent implementation of reforms agreed at the UK-EU Reset Summit in May. He argued that a border agreement based on dynamic alignment could eliminate many post-Brexit checks, smoothing trade and aiding economic growth.
'It is essential that this agreement is implemented as swiftly as possible and has input from business at every stage so businesses and the wider economy can start reaping the benefits of smoother trade,' Roe concluded.
UK exports to the EU fell 23 per cent between 2017 and 2024, while imports dropped just 5 per cent, highlighting a growing post-Brexit trade imbalance, said Logistics UK. Increased red tape has created barriers for UK exporters. President Phil Roe urged swift implementation of reforms from the UK-EU Reset Summit to ease border frictions and restore smoother trade.
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