Brexit hurt two-way trade between the European Union and Britain, with the auto, textile and aviation sectors the worst hit, the French economy ministry said Thursday.
The ministry released data on the sidelines of an EU ministerial meeting in Paris dedicated to reviewing the fallout from Britain's departure from the bloc a year ago.
EU exports to Britain fell by 15 per cent in the first 10 months of last year compared to the same period in 2019, before the pandemic, according to the French economy ministry.
EU imports from Britain sank by 30 per cent over the same period.
The Covid-19 pandemic has also had a major effect on trade flows between the two sides.
But the EU's total imports and exports exceeded 2019 levels during the first 10 months of last year, according to data from the bloc's Eurostat agency.
The new trade deal between Britain and the EU that took affect at the beginning of 2021 re-established customs checks at the border, creating an administrative burden for transport firms.
It also created delays and added complexity for firms that relied on prompt, regular shipments.
British retailer Marks & Spencer closed many of its Paris shops after struggling to keep perishables on the shelves.
Some 80 per cent of trade with Britain goes through France, which has hired 700 customs officers and created a bar-code system that allows trucks to go through the border without stopping after getting approval to do so before travelling.
Nine out of 10 trucks go through customs without stopping now, compared to one quarter in the first weeks of 2021, according to the French economy ministry.
But the trucks carry less merchandise than before Brexit, it said.
"This massive challenge was met without a hitch," said Gerassimos Thomas, director general of the European Commission's customs office.
But trucks have faced queues as long as six miles (10 kilometres) at Channel ports in Britain this month, with some blaming the bottlenecks on Brexit.
The delays have been attributed to several factors, including the UK government implementing further customs controls at the start of January.
Trucks now take longer to pass through Channel ports as their paperwork is verified.
Logistics UK, which represents an array of road, rail, sea and air operators, urged the French and UK government on Monday to hold "constructive" talks on the issue.
