Katherine Tai, the USA's new trade representative (Image: PA) A report published by the House of Commons Library in November makes the importance of trade links with the US crystal clear. While the EU as a bloc remains the UK’s largest trading partner, its importance is dwindling year by year. In 2019, it accounted for 43 percent of UK exports of goods and services and 52 percent of the UK’s imports. In 1999, the EU’s accounted for 55 percent of the UK’s total trade. The top 10 UK export markets in 2019 (Image: House of Commons Library) The report adds: “Looking at individual countries, the US is the UK’s largest trading partner.