Customs declarants and declaration volumes for international trade in 2023: commentary
Published 31 May 2024
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Introduction
This article reports on declaration volumes, and the number of customs declarants submitting declarations to HMRC, in the calendar year 2023, for goods moved between Great Britain (GB) and the European Union (EU), and the United Kingdom (UK) and Non-EU countries. Customs declarations have been required for Great Britain’s trade in goods with the European Union (EU), since 1 January 2021.
This publication provides details on the number of these customs declarations and the size of the declarant population by calendar month, declarant representation, location of entry/exit and by type of declaration.
Users must refer to the methodology notes accompanying this commentary, covering data sources and compilation methodology. More detailed data can be found in our associated dataset.
Summary statistics
Total number of customs declarations for international trade in goods submitted to, and cleared by HMRC in 2023
91.3 million These declarations were submitted by a total of 5,920 declarants
Declarants may increase or decrease the number of customs declarations they submit for equivalent volumes of goods for a variety of reasons, such as a change in the way they may use certain customs facilitations, and they may do so at any point within a given period. Declaration volumes are therefore not a reliable measure of trade volume. Better indicators of UK trade performance are published monthly in the Overseas Trade Statistics (OTS) More information is available in the methodology notes Key data caveats and limitations.
Import declarations as a proportion of the total number of customs declarations for international trade in goods cleared in 2023
73.9% This represents 67.5m import declarations, submitted by 4,560 declarants. Conversely, there were 23.8m export declarations submitted by 3,680 declarants.
The number of customs declarations for trade in goods between Great Britain and the European Union in 2023
41.7 million These account for 45.7% of total declarations and were submitted by 4,250 declarants.
The number of customs declarations for trade in goods between the United Kingdom and Non-European Union countries in 2023
48.8 million These account for 53.4% of total declarations and were submitted by 4,060 declarants.
The proportion of export customs declarations for international trade in 2023 that were declared by a third party as either direct or indirect representation
91.6% 81.0% of the export declarant population submitted a declaration as a third party on at least one occasion.
The proportion of import customs declarations for international trade in 2023 that were declared by a third party as either direct or indirect representation
73.7% 88.2% of the import declarant population submitted a declaration as a third party on at least one occasion.
Source: Customs declarants and declaration volumes for international trade in 2023, from HM Revenue & Customs
Data notes:
Figures are rounded and may not sum to the totals provided.
Declarants may declare across both import and export trade flows, with both EU and Non-EU countries, and may use different types of representation. Declarant counts are therefore only unique within the specified breakdown of each statistic. Unique totals and subtotals across breakdowns can be found within the full statistical tables associated with this publication.
Customs declarations for trade movements between Northern Ireland and Great Britain have been excluded, in addition to UK trade movements with the Isle of Man, Jersey, Guernsey and the UK continental shelf.
Trade partners for customs declarations are categorised as GB trade with the EU, UK trade with Non-EU countries or Other. Summary statistics are for all trade partner categories unless a particular trade partner is specified.
Declaration volumes and declarant counts for 2023
Tables 1a to 1c show declaration volumes and declarant counts for the calendar year 2023.
In 2023, there were 67.5m import customs declarations, submitted by 4,560 declarants, and 23.8m export customs declarations submitted by 3,680 declarants.
The number of GB import declarations from the EU was 27.0m, submitted by 3,120 declarants, and the number of GB export declarations to the EU was 14.7m, submitted by 2,970 declarants.
For UK imports from non-EU countries, 40.0m declarations were submitted by 3,100 declarants. For UK exports to non-EU countries, 8.8m declarations were submitted by 2,600 declarants.
Table 1a: Import declarations and declarants by direction of movement and partner countries, 2023
| Direction of movement and partner countries | Declarations | Declarants |
|---|---|---|
| GB imports from the EU | 26,987,000 | 3,120 |
| UK imports from non-EU countries | 40,001,000 | 3,100 |
| Other imports | 508,000 | 1,240 |
| Total imports | 67,497,000 | 4,560 |
Source: Customs declarants and declaration volumes for international trade in 2023, from HM Revenue & Customs
Table 1b: Export declarations and declarants by direction of movement and partner countries, 2023
| Direction of movement and partner countries | Declarations | Declarants |
|---|---|---|
| GB exports to the EU | 14,715,000 | 2,970 |
| UK exports to non-EU countries | 8,768,000 | 2,600 |
| Other exports | 297,000 | 530 |
| Total exports | 23,780,000 | 3,680 |
Source: Customs declarants and declaration volumes for international trade in 2023, from HM Revenue & Customs
Table 1c: Import and export declarations and declarants by direction of movement and partner countries, 2023
| Direction of movement and partner countries | Declarations | Declarants |
|---|---|---|
| GB imports from and exports to the EU | 41,702,000 | 4,250 |
| UK imports from and exports to non-EU countries | 48,770,000 | 4,060 |
| Other imports and exports | 806,000 | 1,520 |
| Total imports and exports | 91,277,000 | 5,920 |
Source: Customs declarants and declaration volumes for international trade in 2023, from HM Revenue & Customs
Data notes for tables 1a to 1c:
Declaration volumes have been rounded to the nearest thousand, and declarant counts have been rounded to the nearest ten. The sum of breakdowns may therefore not sum to totals given.
A single business may declare across both import and export trade flows, and with both EU and Non-EU countries. Declarant counts are therefore not mutually exclusive and will likely not sum to the unique totals and subtotals provided.
Customs declarations for trade movements between Northern Ireland and Great Britain have been excluded, in addition to UK trade movements with the Isle of Man, Jersey, Guernsey and the UK continental shelf.
The ‘Other’ trade partner category contains customs declarations which have either missing partner country information, are for movements between Northern Ireland and the EU, or where the declaration contains goods imported from or exported to multiple partner countries that are within both the EU and Non-EU.
Declaration volumes and declarant counts by type of representation
Tables 2a to 2c show how the number of declarations varied between the different types of representation, direction of movement and partner countries.
In 2023, most customs declarations were intermediated, 69% of UK import declarations from non-EU countries were intermediated by a third party, compared to 80% of GB import declarations from the EU.
20% of GB import declarations from the EU were self-declared by traders, compared to 31% of UK import declarations from non-EU countries.
Declarant representation did not vary as much between partner country regions for exports. For UK exports to non-EU countries, 88% of declarations were intermediated by a third party. Similarly, 95% of GB export declarations to the EU were intermediated by a third party.
Only 5% of GB export declarations to the EU were self-declared by traders, and only 12% of UK export declarations to non-EU countries were self-declared.
Table 2a: Import declarations by direction of movement, partner countries and type of representation, 2023
| Direction of movement and partner countries | Declared by the trader | Declared by a third party | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB imports from the EU | 5,294,000 | 21,693,000 | 26,987,000 |
| UK imports from non-EU countries | 12,408,000 | 27,594,000 | 40,001,000 |
| Other imports | 45,000 | 463,000 | 508,000 |
| Total imports | 17,747,000 | 49,750,000 | 67,497,000 |
Source: Customs declarants and declaration volumes for international trade in 2023, from HM Revenue & Customs
Table 2b: Export declarations by direction of movement, partner countries and type of representation, 2023
| Direction of movement and partner countries | Declared by the trader | Declared by a third party | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB exports to the EU | 710,000 | 13,979,000 | 14,715,000 |
| UK exports to non-EU countries | 1,037,000 | 7,731,000 | 8,768,000 |
| Other exports | 231,000 | 66,000 | 297,000 |
| Total exports | 1,978,000 | 21,776,000 | 23,780,000 |
Source: Customs declarants and declaration volumes for international trade in 2023, from HM Revenue & Customs
Table 2c: Import and export declarations by direction of movement, partner countries and type of representation, 2023
| Direction of movement and partner countries | Declared by the trader | Declared by a third party | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB imports from and exports to the EU | 6,004,000 | 35,672,000 | 41,702,000 |
| UK imports from and exports to non-EU countries | 13,445,000 | 35,325,000 | 48,770,000 |
| Other imports and exports | 276,000 | 529,000 | 806,000 |
| Total imports and exports | 19,725,000 | 71,526,000 | 91,277,000 |
Source: Customs declarants and declaration volumes for international trade in 2023, from HM Revenue & Customs
Tables 3a to 3c show how the number of declarants varied between the different types of representation, direction of movement and partner countries.
In 2023, most declarants acted as third-party representatives on at least one occasion, 93% of declarants for UK imports from non-EU countries acted as a third party on at least one declaration. This was slightly lower for declarants of GB imports from the EU, at 90%.
A similarly high proportion of the export declarant population submitted declarations as a third party on at least one occasion. For declarants of UK exports to non-EU countries, 87% submitted at least one declaration as a third party. This was lower for declarants of GB exports to the EU, at 82%.
In comparison, a much lower proportion of declarants acted as self-declaring traders. For declarants of GB imports from the EU, 29% submitted at least one declaration by self-representation compared to 25% of declarants of UK imports from non-EU countries.
A similarly low proportion of export declarants submitted at least one declaration by self-representation. For declarants of GB exports to the EU, 26% submitted at least one declaration by self-representation, this was higher for declarants of UK exports to non-EU countries, at 23%.
Table 3a: Import declarants by direction of movement, partner countries and type of representation, 2023
| Direction of movement and partner countries | Self declaring traders | Third party declarants | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB imports from the EU | 900 | 2,800 | 3,120 |
| UK imports from non-EU countries | 790 | 2,890 | 3,100 |
| Other imports | 790 | 790 | 1,240 |
| Total imports | 1,580 | 4,020 | 4,560 |
Source: Customs declarants and declaration volumes for international trade in 2023, from HM Revenue & Customs
Table 3b: Export declarants by direction of movement, partner countries and type of representation, 2023
| Direction of movement and partner countries | Self declaring traders | Third party declarants | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB exports to the EU | 760 | 2,440 | 2,970 |
| UK exports to non-EU countries | 590 | 2,250 | 2,600 |
| Other exports | 100 | 470 | 530 |
| Total exports | 1,100 | 2,980 | 3,680 |
Source: Customs declarants and declaration volumes for international trade in 2023, from HM Revenue & Customs
Table 3c: Import and export declarants by direction of movement, partner countries and type of representation, 2023
| Direction of movement and partner countries | Self declaring traders | Third party declarants | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB imports from and exports to the EU | 1,470 | 3,520 | 4,250 |
| UK imports from and exports to non-EU countries | 1,240 | 3,560 | 4,060 |
| Other imports and exports | 850 | 1,050 | 1,520 |
| Total imports and exports | 2,330 | 4,880 | 5,920 |
Source: Customs declarants and declaration volumes for international trade in 2023, from HM Revenue & Customs
Data notes for tables 2a to 3c:
Declaration volumes have been rounded to the nearest thousand in table 2, and declarant counts have been rounded to the nearest ten in table 3. The sum of breakdowns may therefore not sum to totals given.
The ‘Unknown’ declarant representation category is not presented in this tables 2 and 3. This includes declarations which are not defined as self-declared by the trader nor declared by a third party. All declarations in this ‘Unknown’ category are exit summary declarations that relate to exports only.
A single business may declare across both import and export trade flows, with both EU and Non-EU countries, and as both a self-declaring trader and a third-party declarant. Declarant counts are therefore not mutually exclusive and will likely not sum to the unique totals and subtotals provided.
Customs declarations for trade movements between Northern Ireland and Great Britain have been excluded, in addition to UK trade movements with the Isle of Man, Jersey, Guernsey and the UK continental shelf.
The ‘Other’ trade partner category contains customs declarations which have either missing partner country information, are for movements between Northern Ireland and the EU, or where the declaration contains goods imported from or exported to multiple partner countries that are within both the EU and non-EU.
Declaration volumes and declarant counts by location of entry and exit
Tables 4a to 5b show the top five locations of entry and exit with declaration counts and number of declarants active through with these locations, by direction of movement and partner country.
The top locations of entry and exit varied by direction of movement and partner country.
The top location of entry for imports and the top location of exit for UK exports to non-EU countries was East Midlands Airport. For GB exports to the EU, Dover and the Eurotunnel were most frequently used.
For GB imports from the EU, 44% of declarations were entered through the top five entry locations, a smaller proportion of UK imports from non-EU countries entered through the top five entry locations, at 21%.
A higher proportion of declarations exited through the top five exit locations for exports, at 82% of GB exports to the EU, and 89% of UK exports to non-EU countries.
Table 4a: GB Import declarations from the EU and declarants for the top five locations of entry, 2023
| Location of entry | Number of declarations | Number of declarants |
|---|---|---|
| East Midlands Airport | 5,008,000 | 550 |
| London Gateway | 2,210,000 | 500 |
| Dover | 1,818,000 | 2,100 |
| Eurotunnel | 1,448,000 | 1,750 |
| Birmingham Airport | 1,382,000 | 560 |
| All entry locations | 26,987,000 | 3,120 |
Source: Customs declarants and declaration volumes for international trade in 2023, from HM Revenue & Customs
Table 4b: UK Import declarations from non-EU countries and declarants for the top five locations of entry, 2023
| Location of entry | Number of declarations | Number of declarants |
|---|---|---|
| East Midlands Airport | 2,670,000 | 180 |
| London Heathrow Airport | 2,546,000 | 1,680 |
| London Stansted Airport | 2,020,000 | 260 |
| Felixstowe | 849,000 | 1,530 |
| Southampton | 490,000 | 1,300 |
| All entry locations | 40,001,000 | 3,100 |
Source: Customs declarants and declaration volumes for international trade in 2023, from HM Revenue & Customs
Table 5a: GB Export declarations to the EU and declarants for the top five locations of exit, 2023
| Location of exit | Number of declarations | Number of declarants |
|---|---|---|
| Dover / Eurotunnel | 5,932,000 | 1,810 |
| Holyhead | 2,889,000 | 960 |
| East Midlands Airport | 2,443,000 | 250 |
| Basildon Central | 462,000 | less than 10 |
| London Stansted Airport | 371,000 | 140 |
| All exit locations | 14,715,000 | 2,970 |
Source: Customs declarants and declaration volumes for international trade in 2023, from HM Revenue & Customs
Table 5b: UK Export declarations to non-EU countries and declarants for the top five locations of exit, 2023
| Location of exit | Number of declarations | Number of declarants |
|---|---|---|
| East Midlands Airport | 3,640,000 | 560 |
| London Heathrow Airport | 1,979,000 | 1,350 |
| London Stansted Airport | 1,560,000 | 730 |
| Southampton | 332,000 | 1,330 |
| London Gateway | 293,000 | 1,470 |
| All exit locations | 8,768,000 | 2,600 |
Source: Customs declarants and declaration volumes for international trade in 2023, from HM Revenue & Customs
Data notes for tables 4a to 5b:
A single business may declare across both import and export trade flows, with both EU and Non-EU countries, and through multiple locations of exit or entry. Declarant counts are therefore not mutually exclusive and will likely not sum to the unique totals and subtotals provided.
Customs declarations for trade movements between Northern Ireland and Great Britain have been excluded, in addition to UK trade movements with the Isle of Man, Jersey, Guernsey and the UK continental shelf.
The ‘Other’ trade partner category contains customs declarations which have either missing partner country information, are for movements between Northern Ireland and the EU, or where the declaration contains goods imported from or exported to multiple partner countries that are within both the EU and non-EU.
Declarations volumes by declaration type
The proportion of declarations by type varied between imports and exports.
Most import declarations submitted were supplementary declarations. In 2023, supplementary declarations accounted for 86% of UK import declarations from non-EU countries and 65% of GB import declarations from the EU.
For exports, most declarations were standard declarations. In 2023, standard declarations accounted for 88% of GB export declarations to the EU and 78% of UK export declarations to non-EU countries.