United Kingdom touts Delaware trade ties

As the United Kingdom prepares for a difficult exit from the European Union, the British Embassy released a report last week measuring trade relationships with U.S. states.

During an event in Washington D.C., British Ambassador Sir Kim Darroch spotlighted Delaware as one of the country’s most fruitful relationships within the U.S.

“This new report about the ties that bind our two countries couldn’t be better timed. From coast to coast, and in every state, the strength of our $200 billion trade and investment relationship is clear,” Darroch said. “For instance, in Delaware, exports to the UK support 5,000 jobs.”

In 2016, Delaware exported $549 million in goods and $385 million in services to the U.K, according to the embassy.

Pharmaceuticals and medicines drove an overwhelming share of the exports, due to British-affiliated companies such as AstraZeneca and SPI Pharma Inc. The country was Delaware’s largest export market in 2015.

U.S. exports to the U.K. in 2015 totaled $123.5 billion, up four percent from 2014.