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, 2014

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 2014's average rate (Eurostat).

Revenue
$281.05B · 52.2% of GDP
Spending
$298.13B · 55.4% of GDP
Surplus (+) or deficit (−)
-$17.08B · -3.2% of GDP

What the money is spent on

Belgium, 2014: spending by function, as a share of all spending
Belgium, 2014: spending by function, as a share of all spending
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Social protection35.5$105.91B
General public services15.3$45.69B
Health14.4$42.97B
Economic affairs13.2$39.44B
Education11.3$33.74B
Public order and safety3.2$9.67B
Environmental protection2.4$7.28B
Recreation, culture and religion2.3$6.84B
Defence1.6$4.69B
Housing and community amenities0.6$1.91B
Social protection$105.91B
Social protection, in detail, as a share of it
Social protection, in detail, as a share of it
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Old age45.1$47.81B
Sickness and disability15.6$16.56B
Family and children11.9$12.57B
Unemployment11.3$11.93B
Survivors9.2$9.77B
Social exclusion n.e.c.5.2$5.52B
Housing0.9$920.25M
Social protection n.e.c.0.8$805.07M
R&D Social protection0$30.82M
General public services$45.69B
General public services, in detail, as a share of it
General public services, in detail, as a share of it
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Public debt transactions40.9$18.67B
Executive and legislative organs, financial and fiscal affairs, external affairs28.3$12.95B
Basic research14.3$6.52B
General services12.2$5.58B
Foreign economic aid3.8$1.74B
General public services n.e.c.0.3$157.83M
R&D General public services0.2$77.05M
Transfers of a general character between different levels of government0$398.55K
Health$42.97B
Health, in detail, as a share of it
Health, in detail, as a share of it
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Hospital services52.4$22.53B
Outpatient services32.9$14.12B
Medical products, appliances and equipment10.2$4.38B
Health n.e.c.2.3$969.27M
Public health services2.2$926.23M
R&D Health0.1$36.14M
Economic affairs$39.44B
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 affairs49$19.34B
Transport41.6$16.41B
R&D Economic affairs3.7$1.44B
Other industries2.1$825.26M
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting1.2$476.93M
Communication1.2$475.07M
Fuel and energy1$387.39M
Economic affairs n.e.c.0.2$71.47M
Mining, manufacturing and construction0$16.74M
Education$33.74B
Education, in detail, as a share of it
Education, in detail, as a share of it
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Secondary education39.2$13.23B
Pre-primary and primary education32.2$10.87B
Tertiary education14.6$4.92B
Education not definable by level8.9$2.99B
Subsidiary services to education3.2$1.08B
Education n.e.c.1.8$618.82M
Post-secondary non-tertiary education0.1$23.12M
R&D Education0$664.25K
Public order and safety$9.67B
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 services60$5.8B
Law courts13.8$1.34B
Fire-protection services10$971.13M
Prisons8.8$851.04M
Public order and safety n.e.c.7.2$692.55M
R&D Public order and safety0.2$15.94M
Environmental protection$7.28B
Environmental protection, in detail, as a share of it
Environmental protection, in detail, as a share of it
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Pollution abatement50.7$3.69B
Waste management27.8$2.02B
Environmental protection n.e.c.10.1$732.4M
Protection of biodiversity and landscape5.4$391.64M
Waste water management5.1$373.44M
R&D Environmental protection1$70.54M
Recreation, culture and religion$6.84B
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 services38.8$2.66B
Recreational and sporting services28.5$1.95B
Broadcasting and publishing services19.3$1.32B
Religious and other community services8.3$570.19M
Recreation, culture and religion n.e.c.3.8$257.46M
R&D Recreation, culture and religion1.2$82.9M
Defence$4.69B
Defence, in detail, as a share of it
Defence, in detail, as a share of it
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Military defence97.4$4.57B
Foreign military aid2$92.2M
R&D Defence0.6$29.36M
Defence n.e.c.0$797.1K
Civil defence0$0
Housing and community amenities$1.91B
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 development35.5$676.74M
Housing development34.5$658.8M
Street lighting15.9$303.03M
Water supply9.3$178.42M
Housing and community amenities n.e.c.4.6$87.95M
R&D Housing and community amenities0.2$3.45M

Where the money comes from

Belgium, 2014: revenue by kind, as a share of all revenue
Belgium, 2014: revenue by kind, as a share of all revenue
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Taxes on income and wealth31.8$89.28B
Social contributions31.6$88.87B
Taxes on sales, production and imports25.6$72B
Sales, fees and charges5.7$15.88B
Income from property (interest, dividends, rent)1.8$5.14B
Capital transfers and taxes received1.7$4.88B
Other transfers received1.3$3.79B
Subsidies received0.4$1.21B
Taxes on income and wealth$89.28B
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 income97.2$86.81B
Other taxes on wealth and income2.8$2.47B
Taxes on sales, production and imports$72B
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 tax51.3$36.94B
Not broken down, or fitting no category48.7$35.07B

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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