Although the UK government has continued to sign continuity agreements, these still account for a small proportion of the UK`s total agricultural exports, with some key partners yet to be signed. If the UK leaves the customs union and the single market without a trade deal, the UK will trade with the EU and a number of other key partners through WTO rules, which, as we have already examined, will have a number of implications for agriculture. The European Union`s free trade agreements help the EU to grow: in 2018, the EU was the world`s second largest exporter (15.5%) ahead of the United States (10.6%), but after China (15.8%). [37] WTO conditions would also mean full border controls of goods, which could lead to bottlenecks at ports and significant delays.