The net operating cost of the United Kingdoms 26 embassies in the European Union was €139.7 million in the year to April 2011. There are 1,610 staff employed in them and a further 190 in other outlying offices. The combined value of the Estate they occupy is €620 million, equivalent to 28% of the value of the entire British global diplomatic real estate.
The details are as follows:
| Member State | Net Cost € | Staff | UK-EU |
| Austria | 6,588,852 | 55 | -1,384 |
| Belgium | 8,154,094 | 65 | -3,574 |
| Bulgaria | 3,557,057 | 45 | 49 |
| Cyprus | 4,396,278 | 65 | 633 |
| Czech Republic | 4,474,088 | 55 | -2,740 |
| Denmark | 5,329,929 | 45 | -3,470 |
| Estonia | 2,252,934 | 30 | 97 |
| Finland | 4,633,783 | 45 | -973 |
| France | 10,404,191 | 180 | 352 |
| Germany | 18,265,923 | 195 | -17,626 |
| Greece | 7,447,903 | 75 | 567 |
| Hungary | 5,046,866 | 55 | -2,266 |
| Ireland | 2,677,721 | 45 | 4,605 |
| Italy | 1,598,241 | 110 | -4,064 |
| Latvia | 1,753,997 | 30 | -173 |
| Lithuania | 1,753,997 | 35 | -342 |
| Luxembourg | 1,622,872 | 10 | -730 |
| Malta | 2,718,592 | 25 | 293 |
| The Netherlands | 5,568,743 | 60 | -5,726 |
| Poland | 7,788,793 | 75 | -42 |
| Portugal | 4,596,941 | 50 | -402 |
| Romania | 4,018,078 | 55 | -1,122 |
| Slovakia | 2,034,140 | 25 | -116 |
| Slovenia | 1,882,916 | 20 | -1,265 |
| Spain | 14,079,798 | 110 | -1,491 |
| Sweden | 5,323,435 | 50 | -4,226 |
| €139,746,957 | 1,610 | -€48,492 |
The EU accounts for 54% of global exports and 51% of global imports but Britain ran an adverse trade balance in 2011 with 20 of the 27 member states of the EU. The combined value of her positive trade balance with Bulgaria, Cyprus, Estonia, France, Greece and Malta was €1,911 million. But her positive trade balance with Ireland was a whopping €4,605 million.
Ireland accounts for 11% of Britain’s exports to the EU and Ireland supplies 6% of Britain’s import from the EU.
The entire British global diplomatic enterprise consists of almost 270 offices and a staff of 10,500 persons located outside the UK. A further 3,000 are employed in the UK.
The estate of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office was estimated to be worth €2.2 billion on 30 September 2010, of which property worth €1.93 billion is located outside the UK. The IT infrastructure alone represents an investment of €38 million while the embassy network is home to antiques and silver worth an estimated €10 million.
The largest investment in embassy offices is in France €43 million, Hong Kong €30 million, New Delhi €17 million, Rome €19.75 million, Dublin €16 million and Moscow €13 million. The most valuable official residences are located in Paris €33 million, Rome €25 million, Athens €13.5 million and Washington DC €8 million. The British Ambassador’s residence in Dublin is valued at €5 million.
The British have closed their embassy in Mali, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Madagascar, East Timor and Paraguay. The have closed consulates in 18 locations around the world. Seven embassies and six consulates have been opened since 1997.
The budget for Ireland’s overseas missions this year is €53 million, figure comparable to the cost of ‘free’ television licences purchased by the Department of Social Protection. Ireland’s diplomatic force employs a total of 555 persons.
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