Key Country Contacts
Trade Overview
The United Kingdom is a unitary state made up of the countries of England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. The UK is a part of the European Union and partakes in EU economic policy, although it has opted to maintain the pound (£) as its national currency, instead of adopting the euro (€).
Two-way trade between the United States and the United Kingdom was over $107 billion in 2010. The United Kingdom is the fifth largest importer of goods and services from the United States, receiving a value of $56 billion in 2011. (U.S. Department of Commerce)
Trade between California and the United Kingdom dropped significantly in 2009, however trade between the economies seems to be recovering, with exports being $4.15 billion in 2011. (U.S. Department of Commerce)
Investment Overview
British investment is key in the US. Over a million Americans go to work every day for British companies and the reverse is true as well; 1 million Brits go to work for America companies every day. British investment is specifically vast in California where it supports approximately 90,000 jobs in our state.
(British Consulate General – SF, 2012)
Official Document: Trade and Investment for Growth
Published by the British Government, February 2011
UK Carbon Trust Support for business and the public sector to help cut carbon emissions, save energy and commercialise low carbon technologies.
California - UK Trade
The United Kingdom is a vital trading partner for California, and has been for decades. The United Kingdom is California’s tenth largest export partner. In 2011, California exported $4.15 billion to the United Kingdom—more than most states. (U.S. Department of Commerce)
Computers and electronic products make up the largest export, although the sector has seen relatively consistent decrease since 2000. In 2011, exports in this sector totaled $1.3 billion, roughly 32 percent of total exports to the United Kingdom. (U.S. Department of Commerce)
Transportation equipment exports, on the other hand, increased explosively between 2007 and 2008 and then returned to $643.5 million in 2011. Exports in transportation equipment currently make up 15 percent of total California exports bound for the United Kingdom. (U.S. Department of Commerce)
Chemical, miscellaneous and machinery manufactures are also strong sectors that, combined, are roughly equal in export revenue to that of transportation equipment. (U.S. Department of Commerce)
Tourism
The United Kingdom sends more tourists to California than any other country. In 2010, 682,000 UK citizens visited California spending close to $731 million. (California Tourism and Travel Commission)
Recent Events
| CalChamber Hosts New British Consul General |
 (January 19, 2012) Trade and investment were among the topics of discussion when the CalChamber hosted a meeting with the new consul general of the United Kingdom. Consul General Priya Guha was appointed to San Francisco in August 2011. She has responsibility for a seven-state area consisting of Northern California, Washington State, Oregon, Alaska, Idaho, Montana and Northern Nevada.
Pictured (from left):
Allan Zaremberg, President & CEO
CalChamber
The Honorable Priya Guha, Consul General
British Consulate General, San Francisco
Susanne Stirling, Vice President, International Affairs,
CalChamber
The Honorable Robin Newmann, Vice Consul,
British Consulate General, San Francisco
|
| London's Lord Mayor Addresses CalChamber |
 (August 7, 2003) Alderman Gavyn Arthur, the Right Honorable Lord Mayor of the City of London, speaks at a California Chamber International Luncheon Forum about London's position at the core of international finance, globalization, European Union-U.S. trade, corporate governance and the Euro.
Pictured (from left):
Allan Zaremberg, CalChamber President (seated)
The Honorable Alderman Gavyn Arthur,
Right Honorable Lord Mayor of the City of London (standing)
The Honorable Peter Broom, Deputy Consul General, British Consulate General, San Francisco (behind Arthur)
Roger J. Baccigaluppi, President, RB International/Former CalChamber Chair (seated)
Katherine Kimura, President, British American Chamber of Commerce (seated) |
| British Ambassador Meets with CalChamber President |
 (December 4, 2003) Sir David Manning (left), appointed as the British ambassador to the United States on September 2, visited with California Chamber President Allan Zaremberg yesterday as part of a stop in Sacramento to meet with Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and other state leaders. Topics raised during the meeting between the Ambassador and Zaremberg included the current political and economic climate in California, trade relations between Great Britain and the United States, and the considerable British investment in California and its significance to the state's economy. |