10.5.1 Patterns of trade
Over time, patterns of trade change for many reasons, Table 10.6 shows UK patterns of
trade by destination/source and Table 10.7 shows UK trade by type of good (see page 321).
From these tables it is possible to look at how the country’s patterns of trade have changed.
The most obvious change that can be seen in Table 10.6 is that trade with the EU has
become more important over the last 30 years, while trade with the rest of Western
Europe has declined. More than half of our imports in 1990 came from the EU, more
than half of our exports went to the EU, the proportions increased further up to 2001.