Asymmetries in international trade in services, UK and international partner countries: 2024

• In 2024, total absolute trade in services asymmetries between UK and select partner countries were £303.0 billion, which represents 47.4% of total services trade with these countries.

• The UK's largest absolute trade in services export asymmetries were with the US (including Puerto Rico), at £62.2 billion.

• The UK's largest trade in services absolute import asymmetries were with Ireland, at £30.5 billion.

• Other business services were the largest cause of both export and import asymmetries between the UK and select partner countries at £92.3 billion and £53.6 billion, respectively.

The measurement of trade in services asymmetries aligns with the Office for National Statistics's (ONS's) current plan for economic statistics, which includes methodological and systems improvements for UK trade in services and asymmetries. The objective is to ensure that these statistics continue to meet the expectations of users on quality and trustworthiness and are sustainable for the future.

This bulletin presents estimates of the value of trade in services asymmetries between the UK and select partner countries — these are 50 of the 68 bilateral partner countries included in the latest UK international trade in services statistics by partner country and service type. These countries were selected because of the availability of bilateral trade in services data that follow the Extended Balance of Payments Services (EBOPS) classification in the International Monetary Fund's Balance of Payments and International Investment Position Manual (BPM6). Read more in Section 7: Data sources and quality.

This publication includes a range of analysis of UK trade in services asymmetries to better understand differences between UK and bilateral partner country trade positions and help reduce them where possible. Read more in Section 6: Glossary.

In 2024, the UK's total absolute trade in services asymmetries, with all 50 bilateral partner countries analysed, was £303.0 billion. Total absolute trade in services asymmetries means the magnitude of the asymmetries, regardless of direction. It is the combined value of total absolute export and total absolute import asymmetries at £148.7 billion and £154.3 billion, respectively (Table 1). In this bulletin, we refer to the selected bilateral partner countries as "all partner countries".

The total absolute asymmetries represent 47.4% of the UK's services imports and exports with these partner countries. The US (including Puerto Rico) has the largest total asymmetry at £76.2 billion, followed by Ireland at £32.5 billion, and Switzerland at £28.6 billion. These represent 38.3%, 81.0%, and 100.0% share of their services imports and exports with the UK, respectively.

Total asymmetries with all 27 European Union countries were £143.1 billion; this equals 43.5% of bilateral trade in services with these countries and 47.2% of UK total asymmetries with all partner countries in 2024.

Trade in services exports asymmetries with the United States was the largest cause of exports asymmetries with the UK

The US has the highest absolute export asymmetries with the UK at £62.2 billion, followed by Switzerland at £18.1 billion, and Luxembourg at £11.4 billion. These asymmetries are positive, meaning that the UK's services exports combining all service types, are higher than the reported imports from the UK by these countries. Of the seven countries with the highest absolute export asymmetries, Germany has the largest negative asymmetries when combining all service types at £7.7 billion, offsetting £1.6 billion positive asymmetries (Figure 1).

Export asymmetries with the US represent 41.8% of total services export asymmetries with all partner countries. It also equates to 59.9% of the mean of bilateral services trade between the US and the UK. This means that the UK reported 30% more than the average bilateral trade, while the US reported 30% less than the average.

US services export asymmetries were largely caused by other business services at £40.9 billion, followed by financial services at £11.4 billion; the least were in the maintenance and repair services, with negative £52.6 million.

Overall, other business services were the largest cause of export asymmetries with all partner countries at £92.3 billion. In 2024, other business services were the largest driver of services exports with the bilateral partner countries analysed at £141.2 billion (36.1% of total services exports). Other business services also typically receive the largest adjustments as part of GDP balancing, as shown in our UK trade bulletin for May 2026. Read more detail on GDP balancing in our GDP quarterly national accounts, UK: January to March 2026 bulletin. Government services were the lowest cause of export asymmetries at £1.3 billion.

Figure 1: Apart from Germany, the UK had positive exports asymmetries with its top seven bilateral export asymmetries partners in 2024

UK services export asymmetries with seven largest contributors

Notes

1. Figures may not sum because of rounding, unavailable or suppressed services data, or where bilateral trade data exist only at aggregate service type level.
2. Negative figures indicate that UK exports are lower than partner imports.
3. Positive figures indicate that UK exports are higher than partner imports.

The UK had negative import asymmetries in general with its top seven import asymmetry partners

Ireland has the highest absolute import asymmetries with the UK at £30.5 billion. This is a 19.8% share of UK's total imports asymmetries for 2024. In non-absolute terms, this is negative, meaning that the UK's services imports to Ireland are lower than Ireland's reported exports to the UK, largely caused by telecommunications, computer, and information services at negative £18.5 billion. Among the seven countries with the highest import asymmetries, only Switzerland has positive import asymmetries at £10.5 billion (Figure 2). The UK's lowest absolute services import asymmetry is with Bulgaria at £84.3 million; this is a 0.1% share of the UK's total import asymmetries.

Ireland's import asymmetries were equivalent to negative 106.0% of the mean of bilateral services trade between Ireland and the UK. This means that the UK reported 53% less than the average bilateral trade, while Ireland reported 53% more than the average.

Overall, other business services were the largest cause of import asymmetries with all partner countries at £53.6 billion. In 2024, other business services were similarly the largest driver of services imports with the bilateral partner countries analysed at £85.5 billion (34.5% of total services imports). Government services were the lowest cause of UK import asymmetries with all partner countries in 2024, at £1.1 billion.

Figure 2: Apart from Switzerland, the UK had negative asymmetries with its top seven import asymmetry partners

UK services import asymmetries with seven largest contributors

Notes

1. Figures may not sum because of rounding, unavailable or suppressed services data, or where bilateral trade data exist only at aggregate service type level.
2. Negative figures indicate that UK exports are lower than partner imports.
3. Positive figures indicate that UK exports are higher than partner imports.

Asymmetries resulting from definitional differences in services reporting and statistical territories between UK and partner countries 

Definitional asymmetries that can be attributed to both differences in the number of services reported and definition of regional statistical territories for all partner countries are £144.5 billion for UK exports (97.2% of export asymmetries), and £68.1 billion for imports (44.1% of import asymmetries). Definitional asymmetries with all partner countries resulting from services reporting differences are estimated at £107.1 billion for exports and £56.9 billion for imports. Only definitional asymmetries with the US, Canada, and Ukraine are attributed to both services reported and statistical territory differences, and consists of their total services export asymmetries (£62.2, £3.2, and £0.2 billion, respectively) and import asymmetries (£14.0, £2.1, and £0.2 billion, respectively). This is because the US and Canada include the Crown Dependencies in their measurement of UK trade in services, while since 2022, Ukraine excludes territories occupied temporarily by Russia and those used to conduct military operations from their accounts.       

Other business services are the main cause of definitional export asymmetries for all partner countries at £55.1 billion (37.0% of export asymmetries). This is followed by telecommunications, computer, and information services at £28.1 billion (18.9% of export asymmetries) (Figure 3). Other business services are also the main cause of definitional import asymmetries at £52.2 billion (33.8% of import asymmetries), followed by transport services at £30.2 billion (19.8% of its import asymmetries) (see figure 4).

Figure 3: The largest definitional export asymmetries between UK and partner countries were seen in other business services

UK absolute exports asymmetries and definitional asymmetries with all partner countries by service type

Notes

1. Some partner countries use alternative sub-level components to report "Travel (alternative)" and "Transport (alternative)", while the US reports an alternative "Charges for the use of intellectual property n.i.e. by affiliation". The aggregate trade value of these service types remains consistent with that of the original Extended Balance of Payments Services (EBOPS) service type, for example, aggregate trade reported for "Travel (alternative)" is same as for Travel.
2. Tourism related services is a supplementary service type in EBOPS. The value is independent of total services.
3. Definitional asymmetries for a main service type can exceed absolute asymmetries for that service type or total services asymmetries where it is calculated from lower-level service categories with larger non-absolute bilateral trade differences.

Figure 4: Definitional import asymmetries across all service types were lower than that of export asymmetries in 2024

UK absolute imports asymmetries and definitional asymmetries with all partner countries by service type

Notes

1. Some partner countries use alternative sub-level components to report "Travel (alternative)" and "Transport (alternative)", while the US reports an alternative "Charges for the use of intellectual property n.i.e. by affiliation". The aggregate trade value of these service types remains consistent with that of the original Extended Balance of Payments Services (EBOPS) service type, for example, aggregate trade reported for "Travel (alternative)" is the same as for Travel.
2. Tourism related services is a supplementary service type in EBOPS. The value is independent of total services.
3. Definitional asymmetries for a main service type can exceed absolute asymmetries for that service type or total services asymmetries where it is calculated from lower-level service categories with larger non-absolute bilateral trade differences.

The US has the highest definitional export asymmetries with the UK at £62.2 billion. This is largely caused by asymmetries in other business services at £13.6 billion. Similarly, the US has the highest definitional import asymmetries at £14.0 billion, also largely caused by other business services at £17.9 billion. From analysis of the 11 countries with the highest export and import asymmetries, Switzerland will see the largest reduction of £7.4 billion (exports) and £10.4 billion (imports) where asymmetries are calculated only for service types that are reported consistently with the UK, removing the impact of definitional differences (Table 2).

Methodological reporting differences in bilateral trade between the UK and partner countries

Methodological asymmetries that can be attributed to differences in the classification of service types between the UK and all partner countries equal £42.7 billion (28.7%) of export asymmetries, and £28.9 billion (18.7%) of import asymmetries. This is largely caused by differences in classification of other business services, at £40.1 billion for exports and £37.7 billion for imports (Figures 5 and 6). Methodological asymmetries for a service type can exceed total services asymmetries where it is calculated from lower-level service categories with larger non-absolute bilateral trade differences. Read more about current documented methodological differences and asymmetries in Table 3.  

The US has the highest methodological export and import asymmetries at £14.6 billion and £9.2 billion, respectively. This is largely caused by methodological differences in other business services at £12.4 billion for exports and £17.4 billion for imports. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) classifies and measures intragroup fees and cost recharge (sourced from the Bank of England), and procurement services and services between affiliated enterprises (sourced from the International Trade in Services Survey) within other businesses not included elsewhere. The US, however, do not include these components in their measurement of other business services. Also, the US includes a partial measure of manufacturing services in technical, trade related and other business services, unlike the ONS.

Figure 5: About a third of absolute export asymmetries between the UK and all partner countries is the result of methodological asymmetries

UK absolute export asymmetries and methodological asymmetries with all partner countries by service type

Notes

1. Some partner countries use alternative sub-level components to report “Travel (alternative)” and “Transport (alternative)”, while the US reports an alternative “Charges for the use of intellectual property n.i.e. by affiliation”. The aggregate trade value of these service types remains consistent with that of the original EBOPS service type, for example, aggregate trade reported for “Travel (alternative)” is the same as for Travel.

2. Tourism related services is a supplementary service type in EBOPS. Value is independent of total services.

Figure 6: Differences in the classification of components within other business services were the largest cause of methodological import asymmetries similar to exports

UK absolute import asymmetries and methodological asymmetries with all partner countries by service type

Notes

1. Some partner countries use alternative sub-level components to report “Travel (alternative)” and “Transport (alternative)”, while the US reports an alternative “Charges for the use of intellectual property n.i.e. by affiliation”. The aggregate trade value of these service types remains consistent with that of the original EBOPS service type, for example, aggregate trade reported for “Travel (alternative)” is the same as for Travel.

2. Tourism related services is a supplementary service type in EBOPS. Value is independent of total services.

The UK services absolute export asymmetries with all partner countries have increased on average by 9.1% year on year between 2016 and 2024, to reach £148.7 billion. During this period, UK trade in services exports with the partner countries increased by an average of 7.7% year on year. As a proportion of services exports, export asymmetries have increased from 34.7% in 2016 to 40.0% in 2024. The International Monetary Fund's Interim Report of the Task Team on Global Asymmetries (PDF 2.2MB) International Monetary Fund shows that global services asymmetries also increased between 2016 and 2023. The Office for National Statistics continues to collaborate with international organisations to understand the causes of asymmetries and reduce them, as explained in the UK government user guide to international trade statistics and trade asymmetries.

A decline of £24.0 billion (8.9%) in services trade experienced between 2019 and 2020 is accompanied by an increase of £16.5 billion (17.3%) in export asymmetries. 2020 was an atypical year because of the start of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and lockdown measures.

The largest average year-on-year increases were in manufacturing services, at 29.1% (£0.2 billion net change). While construction services saw an average year-on-year decrease, at 1.4% (£0.8 billion net change). The lowest total services export asymmetries were in 2017, at £74.3 billion.

Figure 7: UK services export asymmetries with all partner countries have been steadily rising since 2016

UK absolute export asymmetries with all countries from 2016 to 2024

The largest increase in UK services absolute import asymmetries with all partner countries is between 2016 and 2017 at 14.9% (£16.1 billion). Overall, absolute import asymmetries rose at an average 4.7% rate from 2016 to 2024 to reach £154.3 billion. This is largely caused by a 12.3% average year-on-year change (£24.5 billion net change) in Telecommunications, computer and information services. While government services saw a decrease of an average 5.2% (£1.0 billion net change) during this time.

In comparison, UK services imports increased by 8.0% on average (£100.9 billion net change) from 2016 to 2024, with the proportion of import asymmetries relative to services imports reducing from 73.8% in 2016 to 62.3% in 2024. An increase of 39.9% (£59.8 billion) in imports from 2021 to 2022 is accompanied by a 5.9% (£8.3 billion) increase in absolute import asymmetries. The increase in bilateral trade is consistent with governments easing COVID-19 trade restrictions.

Figure 8: UK services import asymmetries saw a slower rate of change in comparison to export asymmetries

UK absolute services import asymmetries with all partner countries from 2016 to 2024

Explore the UK trade in services export and import asymmetries data with our interactive tool. The data break down services asymmetries by partner country and type of measurement. Select the partner country using the drop-down menu and choose direction of trade using the selection boxes.

Notes

1. Some partner countries use alternative sub-level components to report “Travel (alternative)” and “Transport (alternative)”, while the US reports an alternative “Charges for the use of intellectual property n.i.e. by affiliation”. The aggregate trade value of these service types remains consistent with that of the original Extended Balance of Payments Services (EBOPS) service type, for example, aggregate trade reported for “Travel (alternative)” is the same as for Travel.

2. Tourism related services is a supplementary service type in EBOPS. Value is independent of total services.

3. Figures may not sum because of rounding, unavailable or suppressed services data, or where bilateral trade data exist only at aggregate service type level.

4. Negative figures indicate UK trade is lower than bilateral partner trade, while positive figures indicate UK trade is higher than bilateral partner trade.

Absolute asymmetries

Absolute asymmetries are the magnitude of differences, regardless of direction, between published trade statistics by a reporting country and the reverse of the same trade statistics reported by its bilateral partner countries.

Absolute export asymmetries

This term describes the difference between reporting-country estimates of exports to a partner country and partner-country estimates of imports from a reporting country.

Absolute import asymmetries

These are the differences between reporting-country estimates of imports from a partner country and partner-country estimates of exports to a reporting country.

Non-absolute asymmetries

Non-absolute asymmetries measure the direction of asymmetries between the reporting country and bilateral partner country, which can be positive or negative.  

Export asymmetries and import asymmetries

These are included as part of non-absolute asymmetries. These measures can be either positive — where reporting-country estimates are higher than partner-country estimates, or negative — where reporting-country estimates are lower than partner-country estimates.

Asymmetries as a relative share of average bilateral trade

This is a relative asymmetry. It measures trade asymmetries expressed as a percentage of the mean of bilateral services trade between the reporting country and partner country.

Asymmetries as a relative share of total asymmetries

This is a relative asymmetry. The absolute asymmetry between reporting country and partner country expressed as a percentage of the share of absolute asymmetry with all partner countries. This can range from 0 to 100%. This helps to measure the contribution of the total asymmetries for partner-country flow.

Total asymmetries

Total asymmetries are the sum of the reporting-country absolute export and absolute import asymmetries with partner countries.

Asymmetries as a relative share of UK services trade

This is a relative asymmetry. It is the measure of total asymmetries between a reporting country and bilateral partner expressed as a percentage of the reporting country's total services imports and exports transactions with a bilateral partner. This provides a measure of asymmetries relative to global trade transactions.

Definitional asymmetries

Definitional asymmetries measure asymmetries caused by differences in services reported — when a partner country allocates trade for different levels of service type or omits them contrary to a reporting country, and/or statistical territory definitions — when a partner country applies a different definition of geographical or statistical territory when estimating their trade flows or that of the reporting country, contrary to how the reporting country defines them. This provides a measure of one of the aspects that causes trade asymmetries between bilateral trade partners.

Methodological asymmetries

Methodological asymmetries measures asymmetries caused by differences in the way a partner country and a reporting country conceptualise the components of a service type. This can include classifying and measuring one or more components of a service type as part of another, or as a new service component. This provides a measure of one of the aspects that causes trade asymmetries between bilateral trade partners.

The primary data source for UK international trade in services is our UK trade in services: service type by partner country, non-seasonally adjusted dataset. 

Services are broken down by partner country and service type using the United Nations' BPM6 Extended Balance of Payments (EBOP) services classifications.

The trade in services bilateral partner country data sources, which closely follow the BPM6 EBOPS breakdown, include:

• Eurostat's International trade in services statistics (ITSS) (since 2010) (BPM6)

• The World Trade Organization's Trade in Services statistics

• The Bureau of Economic Analysis's International Trade in Services statistics by country or affiliation and by type of service

• UN Comtrade's United Nations International trade data for services

• The National Institute of Statistics and Censuses of the Argentina Republic's Estimates of international services by 2010 extended balance of payments for services and partner country

• Stats NZ's New Zealand National Statistics Institute international trade, services

• Statistics Canada's International transactions in services by selected countries, annual

• Ukrstat's State statistics service of Ukraine foreign trade in services

• Singapore Department of Statistics's Trade and investment, total trade in services

• National Statistical Committee of the Republic of Belarus's Exports and imports of services of the republic of Belarus by main types

• Hong Kong Census and Statistics department's Trade in services exports and imports of services in relation to selected Hong Kong's major trading partners by service component

Non-sterling currency is converted to British pounds using the Bank of England's spot exchange rates against Sterling database.

Official statistics in development

These statistics are labelled as "official statistics in development". Until September 2023, these were called "experimental statistics". Read more about the change in our guide to official statistics in development. 

These statistics are based on information from our UK trade in services: service type by partner country, non-seasonally adjusted dataset. We are developing how we collect and produce the data to improve the quality of these statistics. Read more in our International trade in services Quality and methodology report.

Once the developments are complete, we will review the statistics with the Statistics Head of Profession. We will decide whether the statistics are of sufficient quality and value to be published as official statistics, or whether further development is needed. Production may be stopped if they are not of sufficient quality or value. Users will be informed of the outcome and any changes.

We value your feedback on these statistics. Email us at trade@ons.gov.uk.

Quality and methodology

We currently calculate eight different measures of UK trade in services asymmetries (read more in Section 6: Glossary). This includes estimates of definitional asymmetries — differences in the number and levels of services reported and definition of regional statistical territories, and methodological asymmetries — differences in the classification of the components of services, both of which are also considered causes of bilateral asymmetries between reporting and partner countries.

Table 3 summarises currently observed methodological differences between ONS and partner countries' data across 10 service types, including transport, charges for the use of intellectual property, and other business services. Some of the causes of trade asymmetries and effect of globalisation can be found in the ONS User guide to international trade and trade asymmetries statistics.

We continue to develop how we collect and produce services asymmetries data to improve the quality of the statistics. Once the developments are complete, we will review the statistics with the Statistics Head of Profession. We will decide whether the statistics are of sufficient quality and value to be published as official statistics, or whether further development is needed. Production may be stopped if they are not of sufficient quality or value. Users will be informed of the outcome and any changes.

Users will be updated on the upcoming publication of the UK trade in services asymmetries quality and methodology information, including strengths, limitations, appropriate uses, and how the data were created.

We value your feedback on these statistics. Contact us at trade@ons.gov.uk.

Comparison with previous publications that analyse UK services asymmetries

This is a new trade in services asymmetries bulletin and data publication. ONS has previously published articles analysing services asymmetries with select countries, including the challenges to measuring services imports and exports, and recommendations to reduce asymmetries. These links can be found in the ONS User guide to international trade and trade asymmetries statistics.