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The numbers of trade exchange between Britain and Europe approached their monthly averages after sharp declines after the first exit from the European Union.

According to CNBC, the trade exchange figures between Britain and the European Union in general and France in particular have begun to approach the monthly average after suffering sharp declines as a result of Britain’s exit from the European Union.

As for British exports to France, they jumped by 27% to reach 1.5 billion euros in February, on a monthly basis.

Britain had postponed the introduction of a set of import checks after leaving the European Union for about six months, saying that companies needed more time to prepare due to the impact of the Corona epidemic.

In mid-March, the American “CNN” published a report in which it confirmed that Britain’s exports to Europe had collapsed in January, as companies grappled with new trade terms after Britain’s exit from the European Union.

The numbers were cited as the UK exported £ 8.1 billion ($ 11.3 billion) of goods to the European Union in its first month entirely outside the bloc, down 41% compared to December, according to the Office for National Statistics.

Imports from the bloc fell 29% to 16.2 billion pounds ($ 22.6 billion) in January compared to the previous month, when British companies hoarded goods before the end of the Brexit transition period.

It said the decline in activity with its largest trading partner led to the largest monthly decline in total imports and exports of British goods since 1997.

“External evidence indicates that some of the slowdown in merchandise trade in early January 2021 can be attributed to the disruption caused by the end of the transition period,” the Office for National Statistics said in a statement. Adding that “import and export began to increase at the end of this month.”

The office said trade was “not typical in recent months” and urged caution when comparing the report to recent data. The United Kingdom also entered into a new national lockdown due to the Coronavirus at the beginning of January, which affected economic activity.

Britain’s gross domestic product fell by 2.9% in January compared to the previous month, when it expanded, according to the Office for National Statistics, as GDP was 9% lower than levels seen last February, before the Corona virus struck.

It is worth noting that investors are awaiting the numbers of the Office for National Statistics next week and whether the economy has stabilized after a decline of about 3%, in January when it entered the United Kingdom in a state of closure.

Recent figures indicate that companies have found ways to operate despite the restrictions and that vaccinating more than half of UK adults has increased consumer confidence.

The British ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Neil Crompton, confirmed that his country is aware that the weapons used in attacking Saudi Arabia are Iranian. He said, “We support Saudi Arabia in its defense against Houthi attacks.”

He also stressed that attacking oil installations in Saudi Arabia is a dangerous escalation.

He said in an interview with Okaz newspaper today, Sunday: “We know that these weapons that support the Houthis come from Iran, and this is a dangerous escalation by the Houthis, which increases the importance of the Saudi initiative to solve the crisis in Yemen, which we welcomed.”

The importance of the Saudi initiative

In addition, he stressed the importance of the Saudi initiative as it reflects the Kingdom’s stance towards the Yemeni crisis in political and humanitarian terms, as well as the reopening of Sanaa airport and the port of Hodeidah, calling on the international community to exert pressure on the Houthi militia to participate in the implementation of this initiative in order to solve security and peace in Yemen.

He stressed the importance of the strong and historic relations between Britain and Saudi Arabia, as he put it, adding that they have witnessed development in recent years.

He also pointed out that the British government supports the Kingdom’s vision 2030, and the exchange continues between the British and Saudi people, as evidenced by the presence of 18 thousand Saudi students studying in Britain, and 20 thousand Britons working in the Kingdom.

It is noteworthy that the Houthi militias’ repeated attempts during the past days to target civilian objects in the Kingdom have met with widespread international condemnation.

Destruction of two booby-trapped boats

And at dawn today, Sunday, the Coalition to Support Legitimacy in Yemen announced that it had intercepted two marches that were launched towards the southern region in the Kingdom. He also indicated the destruction of two booby-trapped boats off Hodeidah, adding that the Iranian-backed militias take the Stockholm Agreement as an umbrella to launch hostile attacks from Hodeidah Governorate, and threaten shipping routes and global trade.

Yesterday, a spokesman for the US State Department, Ned Price, stressed that “the actions of the Houthis are a clear provocation aimed at prolonging the crisis” that has been going on for six years in Yemen.

He also strongly condemned the Houthis’ targeting of an oil distribution station in southern Saudi Arabia, noting that this attack comes days after the initiative launched by Saudi Arabia to end the conflict in Yemen.

The UK Treasury announced that Britain and the European Union have reached a cooperation agreement between financial regulators after the country leaves the bloc.

“There is a need to take formal steps on both sides before a memorandum of understanding can be signed, but it is expected that this can be achieved quickly,” the ministry said in a statement.

On the other hand, the British Food and Beverage Association said that food and beverage exports from the United Kingdom to the European Union fell by 75.5% on an annual basis in January, attributing most of the drop to trade barriers after Britain’s exit from the bloc.

The union added that the most affected trade route was to the Republic of Ireland, as exports to the UK’s largest market in January accounted for only 5% of all food and beverage exports, compared to about 18% a year ago.

Official data released earlier this month showed that trade between the United Kingdom and the European Union deteriorated in January, with overall exports falling 40.7% compared to December.