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, 2019

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 2019's average rate (Eurostat).

Revenue
$266.78B · 49.7% of GDP
Spending
$277.77B · 51.8% of GDP
Surplus (+) or deficit (−)
-$10.99B · -2% of GDP

What the money is spent on

Belgium, 2019: spending by function, as a share of all spending
Belgium, 2019: spending by function, as a share of all spending
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Social protection37.2$103.21B
Health14.4$40.02B
General public services13.3$37.01B
Economic affairs12.8$35.69B
Education11.8$32.85B
Public order and safety3.2$8.93B
Environmental protection2.5$7.08B
Recreation, culture and religion2.5$6.87B
Defence1.5$4.22B
Housing and community amenities0.7$1.89B
Social protection$103.21B
Social protection, in detail, as a share of it
Social protection, in detail, as a share of it
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Old age48.5$50.1B
Sickness and disability17.8$18.35B
Family and children11.3$11.65B
Survivors8.1$8.4B
Unemployment6.8$7.02B
Social exclusion n.e.c.5.6$5.75B
Housing1.1$1.09B
Social protection n.e.c.0.8$833.36M
R&D Social protection0$23.85M
Health$40.02B
Health, in detail, as a share of it
Health, in detail, as a share of it
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Hospital services47.7$19.09B
Outpatient services37.7$15.1B
Medical products, appliances and equipment9.7$3.88B
Health n.e.c.2.6$1.03B
Public health services1.8$714.35M
R&D Health0.6$220.54M
General public services$37.01B
General public services, in detail, as a share of it
General public services, in detail, as a share of it
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Public debt transactions31.7$11.74B
Executive and legislative organs, financial and fiscal affairs, external affairs31.6$11.71B
General services16.9$6.27B
Basic research16.2$5.99B
Foreign economic aid3$1.09B
General public services n.e.c.0.4$140.05M
R&D General public services0.2$61.91M
Transfers of a general character between different levels of government0$0
Economic affairs$35.69B
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 affairs48.1$17.16B
Transport42.6$15.2B
R&D Economic affairs3.9$1.4B
Other industries1.7$616.4M
Fuel and energy1.4$506.35M
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting1.1$379.29M
Communication1$358.02M
Economic affairs n.e.c.0.1$44.89M
Mining, manufacturing and construction0.1$22.73M
Education$32.85B
Education, in detail, as a share of it
Education, in detail, as a share of it
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Secondary education38.7$12.7B
Pre-primary and primary education32.6$10.72B
Tertiary education14.6$4.79B
Education not definable by level8.8$2.9B
Subsidiary services to education3.5$1.15B
Education n.e.c.1.7$552.03M
Post-secondary non-tertiary education0.1$24.07M
R&D Education0$4.93M
Public order and safety$8.93B
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 services60.2$5.37B
Law courts13.6$1.21B
Fire-protection services12.2$1.09B
Prisons7.9$704.84M
Public order and safety n.e.c.6$532.66M
R&D Public order and safety0.2$17.13M
Environmental protection$7.08B
Environmental protection, in detail, as a share of it
Environmental protection, in detail, as a share of it
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Pollution abatement44.9$3.18B
Waste management31.6$2.24B
Environmental protection n.e.c.10.1$713.91M
Waste water management7.6$535.34M
Protection of biodiversity and landscape4.5$320.4M
R&D Environmental protection1.4$97.84M
Recreation, culture and religion$6.87B
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 services40.1$2.75B
Recreational and sporting services32.6$2.24B
Broadcasting and publishing services15.4$1.05B
Religious and other community services6.8$467.73M
Recreation, culture and religion n.e.c.3.9$269.13M
R&D Recreation, culture and religion1.2$79.37M
Defence$4.22B
Defence, in detail, as a share of it
Defence, in detail, as a share of it
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Military defence96.3$4.06B
Foreign military aid3$126.84M
R&D Defence0.7$30.79M
Defence n.e.c.0$223.9K
Civil defence0$0
Housing and community amenities$1.89B
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$718.83M
Housing development31.9$604.08M
Street lighting16.9$320.18M
Water supply10.5$198.38M
Housing and community amenities n.e.c.2.5$47.69M
R&D Housing and community amenities0.2$3.58M

Where the money comes from

Belgium, 2019: revenue by kind, as a share of all revenue
Belgium, 2019: revenue by kind, as a share of all revenue
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Taxes on income and wealth31.4$83.88B
Social contributions30.9$82.48B
Taxes on sales, production and imports26.7$71.26B
Sales, fees and charges6.3$16.71B
Income from property (interest, dividends, rent)1.6$4.35B
Other transfers received1.4$3.68B
Capital transfers and taxes received1.3$3.45B
Subsidies received0.4$970.38M
Taxes on income and wealth$83.88B
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 income97.1$81.47B
Other taxes on wealth and income2.9$2.41B
Taxes on sales, production and imports$71.26B
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 tax50.6$36.03B
Not broken down, or fitting no category49.4$35.23B

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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