Belgium imported US$550.9 billion worth of products from around the world in 2023.

That dollar metric results from a 28.8% increase from $427.8 billion in Belgian spending on imports 5 years earlier in 2019.

From 2022 to 2023, the total value of Belgium’s imports fell -11.8% compared to $624.3 billion.

Based on the average exchange rate for 2023, Belgium’s official currency is the euro which depreciated by -3.5% against the US dollar since 2019 but appreciated by 2.6% from 2022 to 2023. The weaker European Union currency in 2023 made Belgium’s imports paid for in stronger US dollars relatively more expensive when converted starting from euros.

Main Suppliers for Belgian Imports

The latest available country-specific data shows that 75.1% of products imported by Belgium was supplied by exporters in: Netherlands (19.1% of the Belgian total), Germany (12.1%), France (10.3%), United States of America (7%), mainland China (6.1%), Ireland (4%), United Kingdom (3.8%), Italy (3.6%), Spain (3.2%), Switzerland (2.1%), Japan (2%) and Norway (1.8%).

Applying a continental lens, 71.1% of Belgium’s total imports by value was purchased from fellow European countries. Trade partners located in Asia accounted for 16.6% of Belgian import purchases while another 8.5% worth of goods originated from North America.

Smaller percentages came from suppliers in Africa (2.2%), Latin America (1.3%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean, then Oceania (0.4%) led by Australia and New Zealand.

Given Belgium’s population of 11.7 million people, its total $550.9 billion in 2023 imports translates to roughly $47,100 in yearly product demand from every person in the European Union country. That dollar metric lags the $53,600 per capita one year earlier in 2022.

Belgium’s Top 10 Imports

The following product groups represent the highest dollar value in Belgium’s import purchases during 2023. Also shown is the percentage share each product category represents in terms of overall imports into Belgium.

1. Mineral fuels including oil: US$90 billion (16.3% of total imports)
2. Pharmaceuticals: $71.3 billion (12.9%)
3. Vehicles: $64.6 billion (11.7%)
4. Machinery including computers: $37.7 billion (6.8%)
5. Electrical machinery, equipment: $35.5 billion (6.5%)
6. Organic chemicals: $34.5 billion (6.3%)
7. Plastics, plastic articles: $21 billion (3.8%)
8. Iron, steel: $14.5 billion (2.6%)
9. Optical, technical, medical apparatus: $14.4 billion (2.6%)
10. Gems, precious metals: $13.4 billion (2.4%)

Belgium’s top 10 imports approached three-quarters (72%) of the overall value of its product purchases from other countries.

The fastest-growing imported product group was for vehicles (up 18.7% from 2022) ahead of Belgian imports of electrical machinery and equipment (up 16.2%) then optical, technical or medical apparatus (up 5.1%).

The severest declining product categories were Belgium’s imports of mineral fuels including oil (down -34.9% from 2022) then gems and precious metals (down -34%).

Belgium’s Top Imports of Mineral Fuels Including Oil

In 2023, Belgian importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of mineral fuels-related products.

1. Processed petroleum oils: US$31.3 billion (down -9.8% from 2022)
2. Petroleum gases: $26.6 billion (down -59.2%)
3. Crude oil: $23.1 billion (down -8%)
4. Coal tar oils (high temperature distillation): $4.5 billion (down -20.4%)
5. Electrical energy: $2 billion (down -51.5%)
6. Coal, solid fuels made from coal: $1.2 billion (down -34.4%)
7. Petroleum oil residues: $481.5 million (down -25.3%)
8. Coke, semi-coke: $433.7 million (down -6.5%)
9. Distilled tar: $130.2 million (down -17.8%)
10. Tar pitch, coke: $95.7 million (up 24.5%)

Among these import subcategories, Belgian purchases of tar pitch and coke grew by 24.5% from 2022 to 2023.

These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of mineral fuels-related imports among Belgian businesses and consumers.

Belgium’s Top Imports of Pharmaceuticals

In 2023, Belgian importers spent the most on the following subcategories of pharmaceuticals-related products.

1. Blood fractions (including antisera): US$37.8 billion (down -21.9% from 2022)
2. Medication mixes in dosage: $27.5 billion (down -6.9%)
3. Medication mixes not in dosage: $3.9 billion (up 2,316%)
4. Sutures, special pharmaceutical goods: $1.5 billion (up 10.3%)
5. Packaged dressings: $431.8 million (down -7.2%)
6. Dried organs, heparin: $202.4 million (up 37%)

Among these import subcategories, Belgian purchases of medication mixes not in dosage (up 2,316%), dried organs and heparin (up 37%) then sutures and other special pharmaceutical goods (up 10.3%) grew from 2022 to 2023.

These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of pharmaceuticals-related imports among Belgian businesses and consumers.

Belgium’s Top Imports of Automotive Products

In 2023, Belgian importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of vehicles-related products.

1. Cars: US$43.3 billion (up 24.9% from 2022)
2. Automobile parts/accessories: $10.1 billion (up 0.4%)
3. Trucks: $5.2 billion (up 37.9%)
4. Tractors: $2.2 billion (up 29.7%)
5. Motorcycles: $1.3 billion (down -19.3%)
6. Trailers: $822 million (down -2.1%)
7. Bicycles, other non-motorized cycles: $397.7 million (down -18.7%)
8. Public-transport vehicles: $344 million (down -3.6%)
9. Automobile bodies: $317.2 million (up 10.6%)
10. Motorcycle parts/accessories: $311.3 million (down -17.4%)

Among these import subcategories, Belgian purchases of trucks (up 37.9%), tractors (up 29.7%) then cars (up 24.9%) grew at the fastest pace from 2022 to 2023.

These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of vehicles-related imports among Belgian businesses and consumers.

Belgium’s Top Imports of Machinery Including Computers

In 2023, Belgian importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of machinery including computers.

1. Computers, optical readers: US$3.9 billion (up 5.7% from 2022)
2. Heavy machinery (bulldozers, excavators, road rollers): $3.3 billion (up 22.8%)
3. Centrifuges, filters and purifiers: $2.7 billion (up 1.2%)
4. Taps, valves, similar appliances: $1.6 billion (up 0.9%)
5. Machinery parts: $1.46 billion (up 0.4%)
6. Air or vacuum pumps: $1.44 billion (up 6.6%)
7. Turbo-jets: $1.32 billion (up 28.6%)
8. Harvest/threshing machinery: $1.28 billion (down -12.6%)
9. Liquid pumps and elevators: $1.26 billion (up 5.1%)
10. Transmission shafts, gears, clutches: $1.2 billion (up 22.1%)

Among these import subcategories, Belgian purchases of turbo-jets (up 28.6%), heavy machinery such as bulldozers, excavators and road rollers (up 22.8%), then transmission shafts, gears and clutches (up 22.1%) grew at the fastest pace from 2022 to 2023.

These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of imported machinery including computers among Belgian businesses and consumers.
 

See also Belgium’s Top 10 Exports, Belgium’s Top Trading Partners, Germany’s Top Trading Partners and France’s Top Trading Partners

Research Sources:
Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook Country Profiles, Central Intelligence Agency. Accessed on November 12, 2024

International Monetary Fund, Exchange Rates selected indicators (Domestic Currency per U.S. dollar, period average). Accessed on November 12, 2024

International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on November 12, 2024