Belgium flag Belgium: Economic and Political Overview

Foreign trade figures of Belgium

Foreign Trade in Figures

The Belgian economy is particularly open, with foreign trade representing 153% of GDP (World Bank, 2025). Belgium plays an important role as a transit and distribution centre for other countries in the European Union. According to Comtrade data, in 2025 Belgium's exports were led by medicaments (7.6%), vaccines and other blood products (7.5%), motor cars (6.5%), refined petroleum oils (5.4%), petroleum gas (3.5%), and diamonds (1.5%). The main imports were motor cars (7.1%), medicaments (6.9%), petroleum gas (5.2%), crude oil (4.9%), and vaccines and other blood products (4.3%).

Belgium's role as a regional logistical hub makes its economy vulnerable to shifts in foreign demand, particularly with its EU trading partners. Germany remained the first customer in 2025 (16.7%), followed by France (12.6%), the Netherlands (12.5%), the U.S. (7.7%), and the UK (5.8%). The main suppliers were the Netherlands (22.9%), Germany (13.4%), France (11.4%), the United States (6.8%), and Italy (4.5% - data Comtrade).

According to WTO data, in 2025, exports amounted to USD 568.1 billion, while imports reached USD 537.7 billion (+2.4% and +2.2% y-o-y, respectively). Exports of services totalled USD 159.9 billion, as imports stood at USD 175.0 billion. The country’s trade balance is generally positive, but in 2025 was negative (-2.0% of GDP, from -0.4% one year earlier – data World Bank).

 
Foreign Trade Values 20212022202320242025
Imports of Goods (million USD) 526,615625,041564,974525,986537,701
Exports of Goods (million USD) 551,478638,282578,515554,582568,105
Imports of Services (million USD) 137,638144,981156,467164,295174,848
Exports of Services (million USD) 136,051137,756146,462150,580159,887

Source: World Trade Organisation (WTO) ; Latest available data

Foreign Trade Indicators 20212022202320242025
Foreign Trade (in % of GDP) 177.4191.1166.0159.0152.9
Trade Balance (million USD) 12,919-5,5738,46311,1541,308
Trade Balance (Including Service) (million USD) 11,388-12,548-1,573-2,611-13,811
Imports of Goods and Services (Annual % Change) 12.83.5-7.6-1.30.1
Exports of Goods and Services (Annual % Change) 14.73.1-7.2-1.7-0.3
Imports of Goods and Services (in % of GDP) 87.896.783.279.777.5
Exports of Goods and Services (in % of GDP) 89.694.482.879.375.5

Source: World Bank ; Latest available data

Foreign Trade Forecasts 2026 (e)2027 (e)2028 (e)2029 (e)2030 (e)
Volume of exports of goods and services (Annual % change) -0.52.53.12.82.8
Volume of imports of goods and services (Annual % change) -0.22.73.03.13.1

Source: IMF, World Economic Outlook ; Latest available data

Note: (e) Estimated Data

 
International Economic Cooperation
Belgium is a member of the following international economic organisations: Benelux Economic Union, ICC, OECD, European Union, IMF, G-9, G-10, WTO, among others. For the full list of economic and other international organisations in which participates Belgium click here. International organisation membership of Belgium is also outlined here.
Free Trade Agreements
The complete and up-to-date list of Free Trade Agreements signed by Belgium can be consulted here.
 

Main Partner Countries

Main Customers
(% of Exports)
2025
Germany 16.9%
France 12.6%
Netherlands 12.6%
United States 7.6%
United Kingdom 5.8%
See More Countries 44.6%
Main Suppliers
(% of Imports)
2025
Netherlands 23.0%
Germany 13.4%
France 11.2%
United States 6.9%
Italy 4.5%
See More Countries 40.9%

Source: Comtrade, 2026. Because of rounding, the sum of the percentages may be smaller/greater than 100%.

 
 

Main Products

387.3 bn USD of products exported in 2025
Medicaments consisting of mixed or unmixed...Medicaments consisting of mixed or unmixed products for therapeutic or prophylactic uses, put up in measured doses "incl. those in the form of transdermal administration" or in forms or packings for retail sale (excl. goods of heading 3002, 3005 or 3006) 7.6%
Human blood; animal blood prepared for therapeutic...Human blood; animal blood prepared for therapeutic, prophylactic or diagnostic uses; antisera and other blood fractions and immunological products, whether or not modified or obtained by means of biotechnological processes; vaccines, toxins, cultures of micro-organisms (excl. yeasts) and similar products 7.6%
Motor cars and other motor vehicles principally...Motor cars and other motor vehicles principally designed for the transport of persons, incl. station wagons and racing cars (excl. motor vehicles of heading 8702) 7.3%
Petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous...Petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous minerals (excl. crude); preparations containing >= 70% by weight of petroleum oils or of oils obtained from bituminous minerals, these oils being the basic constituents of the preparations, n.e.s.; waste oils containing mainly petroleum or bituminous minerals 5.3%
Petroleum gas and other gaseous hydrocarbonsPetroleum gas and other gaseous hydrocarbons 3.5%
See More Products 68.8%
380.6 bn USD of products imported in 2025
Motor cars and other motor vehicles principally...Motor cars and other motor vehicles principally designed for the transport of persons, incl. station wagons and racing cars (excl. motor vehicles of heading 8702) 7.2%
Medicaments consisting of mixed or unmixed...Medicaments consisting of mixed or unmixed products for therapeutic or prophylactic uses, put up in measured doses "incl. those in the form of transdermal administration" or in forms or packings for retail sale (excl. goods of heading 3002, 3005 or 3006) 7.0%
Petroleum gas and other gaseous hydrocarbonsPetroleum gas and other gaseous hydrocarbons 5.2%
Petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous...Petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous minerals, crude 5.1%
Human blood; animal blood prepared for therapeutic...Human blood; animal blood prepared for therapeutic, prophylactic or diagnostic uses; antisera and other blood fractions and immunological products, whether or not modified or obtained by means of biotechnological processes; vaccines, toxins, cultures of micro-organisms (excl. yeasts) and similar products 4.2%
See More Products 71.3%

Source: Comtrade, 2026. Because of rounding, the sum of the percentages may be smaller/greater than 100%.

 
 

To go further, check out our service Import-Export Flows.

 

Main Services

147.4 bn USD of services exported in 2024
35.23%
21.54%
15.83%
6.59%
5.95%
3.59%
3.25%
2.54%
2.16%
1.87%
0.92%
0.53%
157.8 bn USD of services imported in 2024
34.49%
19.10%
16.72%
13.22%
6.12%
2.44%
2.28%
2.16%
1.82%
0.85%
0.75%
0.06%

Source: United Nations Statistics Division, 2026. Because of rounding, the sum of the percentages may be smaller/greater than 100%.

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Latest Update: October 2026