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, 2017

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 2017's average rate (Eurostat).

Revenue
$257.93B · 51.5% of GDP
Spending
$261.75B · 52.3% of GDP
Surplus (+) or deficit (−)
-$3.82B · -0.8% of GDP

What the money is spent on

Belgium, 2017: spending by function, as a share of all spending
Belgium, 2017: spending by function, as a share of all spending
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Social protection37.1$97.18B
Health14.5$37.91B
General public services13.9$36.32B
Economic affairs12.4$32.41B
Education11.9$31.28B
Public order and safety3.2$8.44B
Environmental protection2.4$6.38B
Recreation, culture and religion2.4$6.36B
Defence1.5$3.98B
Housing and community amenities0.6$1.51B
Social protection$97.18B
Social protection, in detail, as a share of it
Social protection, in detail, as a share of it
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Old age47.2$45.9B
Sickness and disability16.8$16.34B
Family and children11.2$10.91B
Survivors8.7$8.42B
Unemployment8.4$8.16B
Social exclusion n.e.c.5.8$5.6B
Housing1.1$1.07B
Social protection n.e.c.0.8$756.79M
R&D Social protection0$25.87M
Health$37.91B
Health, in detail, as a share of it
Health, in detail, as a share of it
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Hospital services50.2$19.03B
Outpatient services35.4$13.43B
Medical products, appliances and equipment10.3$3.91B
Health n.e.c.2.2$827.05M
Public health services1.6$623.71M
R&D Health0.2$86.87M
General public services$36.32B
General public services, in detail, as a share of it
General public services, in detail, as a share of it
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Public debt transactions36.1$13.1B
Executive and legislative organs, financial and fiscal affairs, external affairs28.9$10.5B
Basic research16$5.82B
General services15.3$5.57B
Foreign economic aid3.2$1.18B
General public services n.e.c.0.3$102.69M
R&D General public services0.1$49.59M
Transfers of a general character between different levels of government0$0
Economic affairs$32.41B
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 affairs48.3$15.66B
Transport41.7$13.53B
R&D Economic affairs4.3$1.4B
Other industries1.7$557.96M
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting1.3$423.41M
Fuel and energy1.3$420.02M
Communication1.1$352.47M
Economic affairs n.e.c.0.1$38.07M
Mining, manufacturing and construction0.1$32.42M
Education$31.28B
Education, in detail, as a share of it
Education, in detail, as a share of it
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Secondary education38.7$12.09B
Pre-primary and primary education32.4$10.14B
Tertiary education13.9$4.34B
Education not definable by level9.1$2.85B
Subsidiary services to education3.9$1.23B
Education n.e.c.1.9$582.47M
Post-secondary non-tertiary education0.1$26.66M
R&D Education0$8.13M
Public order and safety$8.44B
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$5.06B
Law courts14.2$1.2B
Fire-protection services11.4$959.34M
Prisons8.3$699.51M
Public order and safety n.e.c.5.9$500.68M
R&D Public order and safety0.2$17.51M
Environmental protection$6.38B
Environmental protection, in detail, as a share of it
Environmental protection, in detail, as a share of it
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Pollution abatement45.3$2.89B
Waste management31.3$2B
Environmental protection n.e.c.10.7$683.24M
Waste water management6.3$402.74M
Protection of biodiversity and landscape4.7$299.26M
R&D Environmental protection1.6$102.12M
Recreation, culture and religion$6.36B
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 services41.6$2.65B
Recreational and sporting services30.7$1.95B
Broadcasting and publishing services16.5$1.05B
Religious and other community services6.9$435.84M
Recreation, culture and religion n.e.c.3.5$223.12M
R&D Recreation, culture and religion0.9$54.45M
Defence$3.98B
Defence, in detail, as a share of it
Defence, in detail, as a share of it
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Military defence94.2$3.75B
Foreign military aid5.1$203.12M
R&D Defence0.7$25.98M
Defence n.e.c.0$225.94K
Civil defence0$0
Housing and community amenities$1.51B
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 development37.1$560.33M
Housing development24.1$363.42M
Street lighting20.4$307.73M
Water supply14.2$213.97M
Housing and community amenities n.e.c.4.1$61.12M
R&D Housing and community amenities0.2$2.49M

Where the money comes from

Belgium, 2017: revenue by kind, as a share of all revenue
Belgium, 2017: revenue by kind, as a share of all revenue
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Taxes on income and wealth32.4$83.54B
Social contributions30.6$78.82B
Taxes on sales, production and imports26.1$67.28B
Sales, fees and charges6.2$15.99B
Income from property (interest, dividends, rent)1.7$4.47B
Capital transfers and taxes received1.5$3.88B
Other transfers received1.2$3.01B
Subsidies received0.4$933.58M
Taxes on income and wealth$83.54B
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 income97.3$81.31B
Other taxes on wealth and income2.7$2.23B
Taxes on sales, production and imports$67.28B
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 tax50.8$34.18B
Not broken down, or fitting no category49.2$33.1B

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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