Public budgets

Belgium: public budget

What Belgium's government raised and what it spent it on, from the figures its own budget laws or a statistics office publish. Solon places every figure on the same international classification, so it can be compared with any other place.

General government, 2003

Outturn: what came in and was spent

General government: central, state and local government and social security funds together, consolidated so that money passed between them is counted once, as Eurostat's government finance statistics (ESA 2010) count it.

Amounts in USD, converted from EUR at 2003's average rate (Eurostat).

Revenue
$156.45B · 49.1% of GDP
Spending
$162.38B · 51% of GDP
Surplus (+) or deficit (−)
-$5.93B · -1.9% of GDP

What the money is spent on

Belgium, 2003: spending by function, as a share of all spending
Belgium, 2003: spending by function, as a share of all spending
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Social protection34.1$55.41B
General public services20.1$32.66B
Health13.4$21.84B
Education11.5$18.74B
Economic affairs10.2$16.59B
Public order and safety3.4$5.56B
Recreation, culture and religion2.5$4.07B
Defence2.2$3.64B
Environmental protection1.7$2.69B
Housing and community amenities0.7$1.18B
Social protection$55.41B
Social protection, in detail, as a share of it
Social protection, in detail, as a share of it
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Old age40.7$22.58B
Unemployment15.1$8.37B
Sickness and disability14.3$7.9B
Family and children12.2$6.77B
Survivors11.5$6.4B
Social exclusion n.e.c.4.8$2.63B
Social protection n.e.c.1.1$582M
Housing0.3$164.25M
R&D Social protection0$14.82M
General public services$32.66B
General public services, in detail, as a share of it
General public services, in detail, as a share of it
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Public debt transactions53.5$17.47B
Executive and legislative organs, financial and fiscal affairs, external affairs26.6$8.68B
General services9.3$3.04B
Basic research7.8$2.56B
Foreign economic aid1.9$611.19M
General public services n.e.c.0.9$282.8M
R&D General public services0$15.5M
Transfers of a general character between different levels of government0$0
Health$21.84B
Health, in detail, as a share of it
Health, in detail, as a share of it
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Hospital services54.2$11.83B
Outpatient services30$6.55B
Medical products, appliances and equipment12.4$2.7B
Public health services2.2$474.88M
Health n.e.c.1.2$253.05M
R&D Health0.1$23.76M
Education$18.74B
Education, in detail, as a share of it
Education, in detail, as a share of it
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Secondary education41.3$7.74B
Pre-primary and primary education32.2$6.04B
Tertiary education14.1$2.65B
Education not definable by level7.1$1.34B
Education n.e.c.3.1$580.98M
Subsidiary services to education2.1$384.83M
R&D Education0.1$11.65M
Post-secondary non-tertiary education0$0
Economic affairs$16.59B
Economic affairs, in detail, as a share of it
Economic affairs, in detail, as a share of it
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Transport50.4$8.37B
General economic, commercial and labour affairs32.8$5.44B
Economic affairs n.e.c.5.5$913.33M
Communication3.2$535.85M
Other industries2.7$441.51M
Mining, manufacturing and construction2.3$373.86M
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting1.8$295.47M
R&D Economic affairs1.3$214.25M
Fuel and energy0.1$12.9M
Public order and safety$5.56B
Public order and safety, in detail, as a share of it
Public order and safety, in detail, as a share of it
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Police services58.1$3.23B
Law courts17$945.34M
Fire-protection services11.1$616.28M
Prisons7.4$411.3M
Public order and safety n.e.c.6.3$349.54M
R&D Public order and safety0.1$7.81M
Recreation, culture and religion$4.07B
Recreation, culture and religion, in detail, as a share of it
Recreation, culture and religion, in detail, as a share of it
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Cultural services41.9$1.7B
Recreational and sporting services29.2$1.19B
Broadcasting and publishing services18.9$769.22M
Religious and other community services6.9$280.42M
Recreation, culture and religion n.e.c.2.4$99.43M
R&D Recreation, culture and religion0.6$26.02M
Defence$3.64B
Defence, in detail, as a share of it
Defence, in detail, as a share of it
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Military defence84.9$3.09B
Defence n.e.c.11.5$418.54M
Civil defence1.3$48.64M
R&D Defence1.2$42.19M
Foreign military aid1.1$38.35M
Environmental protection$2.69B
Environmental protection, in detail, as a share of it
Environmental protection, in detail, as a share of it
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Waste management48.8$1.31B
Waste water management25.2$677.36M
Environmental protection n.e.c.16$430.76M
Pollution abatement8.7$233.14M
Protection of biodiversity and landscape1.2$32.35M
R&D Environmental protection0.2$5.54M
Housing and community amenities$1.18B
Housing and community amenities, in detail, as a share of it
Housing and community amenities, in detail, as a share of it
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Community development38.7$457.34M
Housing development37.1$438.91M
Water supply12.7$150.56M
Street lighting9.9$117.53M
Housing and community amenities n.e.c.0.9$10.07M
R&D Housing and community amenities0.6$7.13M

Where the money comes from

Belgium, 2003: revenue by kind, as a share of all revenue
Belgium, 2003: revenue by kind, as a share of all revenue
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Taxes on income and wealth33.1$51.74B
Social contributions32.6$50.95B
Taxes on sales, production and imports26.2$40.94B
Sales, fees and charges4.6$7.13B
Income from property (interest, dividends, rent)2.1$3.32B
Other transfers received0.7$1.03B
Capital transfers and taxes received0.6$935.5M
Subsidies received0.3$402.59M
Taxes on income and wealth$51.74B
Taxes on income and wealth, in detail, as a share of it
Taxes on income and wealth, in detail, as a share of it
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Taxes on income96.4$49.9B
Other taxes on wealth and income3.6$1.84B
Taxes on sales, production and imports$40.94B
Taxes on sales, production and imports, in detail, as a share of it
Taxes on sales, production and imports, in detail, as a share of it
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Value added tax53.2$21.79B
Not broken down, or fitting no category46.8$19.14B

Over the years

48.1 % of GDPRevenue · 1,99549.1 % of GDPRevenue · 1,99649.4 % of GDPRevenue · 1,99750 % of GDPRevenue · 1,99849.9 % of GDPRevenue · 1,99949.3 % of GDPRevenue · 2,00049.6 % of GDPRevenue · 2,00149.9 % of GDPRevenue · 2,00249.1 % of GDPRevenue · 2,00349.1 % of GDPRevenue · 2,00449.2 % of GDPRevenue · 2,00549 % of GDPRevenue · 2,00648.7 % of GDPRevenue · 2,00749.7 % of GDPRevenue · 2,00849.1 % of GDPRevenue · 2,00949.8 % of GDPRevenue · 2,01050.6 % of GDPRevenue · 2,01151.9 % of GDPRevenue · 2,01252.7 % of GDPRevenue · 2,01352.2 % of GDPRevenue · 2,01451.4 % of GDPRevenue · 2,01551 % of GDPRevenue · 2,01651.5 % of GDPRevenue · 2,01751.5 % of GDPRevenue · 2,01849.7 % of GDPRevenue · 2,01949.5 % of GDPRevenue · 2,02049.5 % of GDPRevenue · 2,02149 % of GDPRevenue · 2,02248.7 % of GDPRevenue · 2,02349.7 % of GDPRevenue · 2,02449.2 % of GDPRevenue · 2,02552.6 % of GDPSpending · 1,99553.1 % of GDPSpending · 1,99651.6 % of GDPSpending · 1,99751 % of GDPSpending · 1,99850.5 % of GDPSpending · 1,99949.4 % of GDPSpending · 2,00049.4 % of GDPSpending · 2,00149.9 % of GDPSpending · 2,00251 % of GDPSpending · 2,00349.3 % of GDPSpending · 2,00451.9 % of GDPSpending · 2,00548.8 % of GDPSpending · 2,00648.6 % of GDPSpending · 2,00750.8 % of GDPSpending · 2,00854.5 % of GDPSpending · 2,00953.9 % of GDPSpending · 2,01055 % of GDPSpending · 2,01156.2 % of GDPSpending · 2,01255.9 % of GDPSpending · 2,01355.4 % of GDPSpending · 2,01453.9 % of GDPSpending · 2,01553.4 % of GDPSpending · 2,01652.3 % of GDPSpending · 2,01752.5 % of GDPSpending · 2,01851.8 % of GDPSpending · 2,01958.5 % of GDPSpending · 2,02054.9 % of GDPSpending · 2,02152.5 % of GDPSpending · 2,02252.8 % of GDPSpending · 2,02354.1 % of GDPSpending · 2,024
Belgium: revenue and spending, 1995–2025
Belgium: revenue and spending, 1995–2025
PeriodRevenue (% of GDP)Spending (% of GDP)
1,99548.152.6
1,99649.153.1
1,99749.451.6
1,9985051
1,99949.950.5
2,00049.349.4
2,00149.649.4
2,00249.949.9
2,00349.151
2,00449.149.3
2,00549.251.9
2,0064948.8
2,00748.748.6
2,00849.750.8
2,00949.154.5
2,01049.853.9
2,01150.655
2,01251.956.2
2,01352.755.9
2,01452.255.4
2,01551.453.9
2,0165153.4
2,01751.552.3
2,01851.552.5
2,01949.751.8
2,02049.558.5
2,02149.554.9
2,0224952.5
2,02348.752.8
2,02449.754.1
2,02549.2
Where these figures come from

Series read from Eurostat, government finance statistics (gov_10a_main, gov_10a_exp) on 2026-11-11.

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