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, 2012

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 2012's average rate (Eurostat).

Revenue
$258.66B · 51.9% of GDP
Spending
$280.34B · 56.2% of GDP
Surplus (+) or deficit (−)
-$21.67B · -4.3% of GDP

What the money is spent on

Belgium, 2012: spending by function, as a share of all spending
Belgium, 2012: spending by function, as a share of all spending
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Social protection34.7$97.22B
General public services15.6$43.68B
Health14$39.37B
Economic affairs13.8$38.73B
Education11.1$31.05B
Public order and safety3.2$9.09B
Environmental protection2.8$7.76B
Recreation, culture and religion2.4$6.79B
Defence1.6$4.59B
Housing and community amenities0.7$2.05B
Social protection$97.22B
Social protection, in detail, as a share of it
Social protection, in detail, as a share of it
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Old age43.2$41.96B
Sickness and disability14.5$14.1B
Family and children12.6$12.25B
Unemployment12.1$11.77B
Survivors9.7$9.46B
Social exclusion n.e.c.5.8$5.6B
Social protection n.e.c.1.3$1.22B
Housing0.9$839.1M
R&D Social protection0$30.96M
General public services$43.68B
General public services, in detail, as a share of it
General public services, in detail, as a share of it
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Public debt transactions43.1$18.81B
Executive and legislative organs, financial and fiscal affairs, external affairs29.5$12.87B
Basic research13.2$5.76B
General services11.1$4.86B
Foreign economic aid2.6$1.15B
General public services n.e.c.0.4$156.75M
R&D General public services0.1$65.27M
Transfers of a general character between different levels of government0$385.44K
Health$39.37B
Health, in detail, as a share of it
Health, in detail, as a share of it
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Hospital services51.9$20.45B
Outpatient services32.2$12.66B
Medical products, appliances and equipment11.1$4.35B
Health n.e.c.2.6$1.02B
Public health services2.1$842.83M
R&D Health0.1$43.68M
Economic affairs$38.73B
Economic affairs, in detail, as a share of it
Economic affairs, in detail, as a share of it
RowValue (%)ShareNote
General economic, commercial and labour affairs53.6$20.76B
Transport36.3$14.04B
R&D Economic affairs3.1$1.19B
Fuel and energy2.8$1.1B
Other industries1.6$608.61M
Communication1.3$513.41M
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting1$403.68M
Economic affairs n.e.c.0.2$86.85M
Mining, manufacturing and construction0.1$22.61M
Education$31.05B
Education, in detail, as a share of it
Education, in detail, as a share of it
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Secondary education39.6$12.29B
Pre-primary and primary education31.9$9.89B
Tertiary education15.6$4.85B
Education not definable by level7.7$2.39B
Subsidiary services to education3.2$993.28M
Education n.e.c.1.9$598.2M
Post-secondary non-tertiary education0.1$20.04M
R&D Education0$6.42M
Public order and safety$9.09B
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$5.28B
Law courts15.5$1.4B
Fire-protection services12.4$1.12B
Prisons8.8$797.48M
Public order and safety n.e.c.5.2$474.86M
R&D Public order and safety0.1$13.62M
Environmental protection$7.76B
Environmental protection, in detail, as a share of it
Environmental protection, in detail, as a share of it
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Pollution abatement55.6$4.31B
Waste management26.8$2.08B
Environmental protection n.e.c.9.9$771.52M
Waste water management3.8$292.68M
Protection of biodiversity and landscape3.1$239.23M
R&D Environmental protection0.8$59.74M
Recreation, culture and religion$6.79B
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 services38.2$2.59B
Recreational and sporting services33.6$2.28B
Broadcasting and publishing services17.5$1.19B
Religious and other community services6.5$444.54M
Recreation, culture and religion n.e.c.3.6$245.78M
R&D Recreation, culture and religion0.5$36.75M
Defence$4.59B
Defence, in detail, as a share of it
Defence, in detail, as a share of it
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Military defence96.3$4.42B
Foreign military aid3$135.8M
R&D Defence0.7$32.25M
Defence n.e.c.0$642.4K
Civil defence0$0
Housing and community amenities$2.05B
Housing and community amenities, in detail, as a share of it
Housing and community amenities, in detail, as a share of it
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Housing development36.1$739.27M
Community development29.9$612.72M
Street lighting15.4$315.8M
Water supply14.5$297.05M
Housing and community amenities n.e.c.4$81.33M
R&D Housing and community amenities0.1$2.96M

Where the money comes from

Belgium, 2012: revenue by kind, as a share of all revenue
Belgium, 2012: revenue by kind, as a share of all revenue
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Social contributions32$82.85B
Taxes on income and wealth31.1$80.41B
Taxes on sales, production and imports26.1$67.61B
Sales, fees and charges5$12.9B
Income from property (interest, dividends, rent)2.2$5.8B
Other transfers received1.6$4.05B
Capital transfers and taxes received1.5$3.88B
Subsidies received0.4$1.15B
Taxes on income and wealth$80.41B
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 income96.9$77.91B
Other taxes on wealth and income3.1$2.49B
Taxes on sales, production and imports$67.61B
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 tax52.1$35.23B
Not broken down, or fitting no category47.9$32.38B

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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