The United Kingdom operates a network of preferential tariff arrangements (PTAs) with a range of trading partners. These arrangements allow for reduced or zero duties on eligible goods, subject to rules of origin and other conditions. In 2021, the first full year after the UK left the transition period and the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) came into effect for many goods, data on how businesses used these tariff preferences shed light on the pace of change in trade facilitation and the incentives to reroute or diversify supply chains.

Understanding tariff preferences and PTAs
– What they do: PTAs provide reduced or zero duties on goods that meet specified origin criteria and other conditions. They are designed to reduce costs for exporters and importers and to encourage trade with partner economies.
– How utilisation is measured: Utilisation is typically assessed in terms of the share of eligible goods or tariff lines that actually claim tariff preferences on shipments, and the rate at which importers and exporters make use of preferential arrangements.
– Why it matters for the UK: The UK’s post-Brexit trade architecture centres on continuing access to tariff preferences with certain partners while managing rules of origin, administration, and eligibility checks. The EU-UK TCA, in particular, governs many aspects of GB-EU trade in goods and affects how preferential duties apply to UK exporters and importers.

The 2021 landscape: GB-EU trade under the TCA
– The TCA established a framework for duty-free or reduced-duty trade in many goods between Great Britain (GB) and the EU, subject to rules of origin and other requirements. In practice, utilisation of these preferences depends on firms’s ability to demonstrate origin, maintain documentary evidence, and navigate compliance processes.
– For UK businesses, 2021 represented a period of adjustment as traders learned the new procedures and as firms adapted to the rules of origin and origin-certification requirements that determine whether a shipment qualifies for preferential treatment.
– For EU exporters and UK importers, the incentives to use PTAs hinge on the relative costs of compliance versus the savings from duties, as well as the availability of supply chains capable of meeting the origin rules.

Statistics at a glance (2021)
– Imports under PTAs: [Insert figure here]
– This indicates how much UK import demand benefited from tariff preferences when sourcing goods from PTA partner economies in 2021.
– Exports under PTAs: [Insert figure here]
– This reflects the degree to which UK exporters used PTAs to access preferential duties in partner markets.
– Share of eligible trade utilising preferences:
– Imports: [Insert percentage here]
– Exports: [Insert percentage here]
– These measures show the proportion of eligible goods or tariff lines that actually claimed preferential treatment in 2021.
Notes:
– The figures above are drawn from official statistics published by UK government sources. They are subject to revision as data are finalised and methodologies are clarified.
– The data capture activity across PTAs globally, with particular emphasis on the EU-UK TCA provisions for trade in goods between GB and the EU.

Sectoral patterns and practical insights
– Sectors with straightforward origin rules and simple compliance tend to show relatively higher utilisation. These include some categories of consumer goods and certain manufactured products where the supply chain already meets origin criteria with minimal regulatory frictions.
– Sectors with complex origin requirements or longer supply chains (for example, some automotive, chemical, or processed agricultural goods) may exhibit lower take-up due to higher administrative costs and the need for robust documentation.
– Administrative burden and documentation: Firms often cite the need to maintain robust origin proofs, certificates of origin, and post-clearance checks as factors influencing the decision to apply for preferential treatment.
– Availability and lead times: Where suppliers or manufacturers can consistently certify origin and provide the needed paperwork, utilisation tends to improve. In contrast, sporadic supplier readiness or limited supplier diversification can dampen take-up.

Why utilisation matters for policy and business strategy
– Trade costs: Even when a PTAs offer tariff relief, the net benefit depends on the total cost of compliance relative to duty savings. Simplifying procedures and clarifying rules of origin can enhance benefits.
– Competitiveness: Greater utilisation can help UK exporters remain competitive by lowering landed costs in partner markets and enabling more price-sensitive markets to access UK goods with lower duties.
– Data transparency: High-quality, timely data on PTA utilisation helps policymakers identify bottlenecks, inform facilitation measures, and guide outreach to businesses.

Implications for policy, business, and practice
– Streamlining procedures: Reducing the administrative burden around claims for tariff preferences can boost utilisation. This includes clearer guidance, streamlined origin declarations, and digital processing where possible.
– Clearer origin rules: Simplifying or clarifying rules of origin, including cumulation practices where applicable, can help firms qualify more shipments for preferential treatment.
– Data access and support: Providing easier access to PTA-related data and targeted guidance for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) can help more businesses realise the benefits of tariff preferences.
– Collaboration with supply chains: Encouraging suppliers to maintain origin-ready documentation and to communicate clearly about eligibility can improve take-up across the broader ecosystem.

Where to find the data and what it means for stakeholders
– Official sources: The best source for the precise 2021 figures is the UK government’s publications on trade and tariff preferences, including the Office for National Statistics (ONS) output and the Department for International Trade (DIT) releases, along with HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) data on import and export declarations linked to preferential treatment.
– How to use the data: Businesses can use the statistics to benchmark their own eligibility and filing practices, identify sectors with higher or lower utilisation, and prioritise efforts to improve compliance, documentation, and supplier readiness.
– For policymakers: The data provide a basis for evaluating the effectiveness of PTAs in reducing trade costs and for designing targeted support measures to boost utilisation, especially for SMEs and for sectors with complex rules of origin.

Conclusion
2021 marked a transitional year as the UK navigated tariff preferences under PTAs against a backdrop of the EU-UK TCA. While utilisation varied by sector and by the complexity of rules, the data underscore the potential for tariff preferences to support UK trade if administrative processes are simplified and origin rules are made clearer and more accessible. For businesses, the takeaway is to assess origin documentation readiness, streamline internal processes, and engage with suppliers to ensure that eligible shipments can benefit from duty relief where appropriate. For policymakers, the focus remains on reducing friction, improving data transparency, and expanding the practical utilisation of PTAs to support broader trade growth.

If you’d like, I can tailor this draft to your target audience (C-suite readers, trade compliance teams, SMEs, or policy professionals) and insert the exact 2021 figures once you provide the official numbers or share access to the latest statistical releases.

February 06, 2026 at 11:30AM
官方统计数据：英国货物贸易关税优惠利用情况，2021 年

关于英国在 2021 年通过关税优惠协定（PTAs）进行进口和出口的关税优惠利用情况的统计数据，其中包括在 TCA 框架下大不列颠与欧盟之间的货物贸易。

阅读更多中文内容： 2021 年英国关税优惠利用统计：进口与出口、以及 GB-EU TCA 下的商品贸易分析