Based on the average exchange rate for 2021, Belgium’s official currency is the euro which appreciated by 5% against the US dollar since 2017 and strengthened by 3.9% from 2020 to 2021. The stronger European Union currency in 2021 made Belgium’s imports paid for in weaker US dollars relatively less expensive when converted starting from euros.
Main Suppliers for Belgian Imports
The latest available country-specific data shows that 75.4% of products imported by Belgium were supplied by exporters in: Netherlands (19.9% of the global total), Germany (14.2%), France (9.7%), United States of America (6.6%), China (5.9%), Ireland (4.4%), Italy (4.2%), Spain (2.8%), Japan (2.2%), Switzerland (2%), Russia (1.9%) and Norway (1.7%).
Applying a continental lens, 70.1% of Belgium’s total imports by value were purchased from fellow European countries. Asian trade partners accounted for 17.3% of Belgian import purchases while another 8.4% worth of goods originated from North America.
Smaller percentages came from Africa (2.5%) and Latin America (1.4%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean, then Oceania (0.3%) led by Australia and New Zealand.
Given Belgium’s population of 11.6 million people, its total $516.6 billion in 2021 imports translates to roughly $44,700 in yearly product demand from every person in the European Union country. That dollar metric outpaces the $34,100 per capita one year earlier in 2020.
Belgium’s Top 10 Imports
The following product groups represent the highest dollar value in Belgium’s import purchases during 2021. Also shown is the percentage share each product category represents in terms of overall imports into Belgium.
- Mineral fuels including oil: US$70.7 billion (13.7% of total imports)
- Pharmaceuticals: $61.4 billion (11.9%)
- Vehicles: $51.6 billion (10%)
- Machinery including computers: $38.3 billion (7.4%)
- Organic chemicals: $35.8 billion (6.9%)
- Electrical machinery, equipment: $27.8 billion (5.4%)
- Plastics, plastic articles: $23.9 billion (4.6%)
- Gems, precious metals: $20 billion (3.9%)
- Iron, steel: $18 billion (3.5%)
- Optical, technical, medical apparatus: $14 billion (2.7%)
Belgium’s top 10 imports accounted for 70% of the overall value of its product purchases from other countries.
The fastest-growing imported product group was mineral fuels including oil (up 113.5% from 2020) ahead of iron and steel (up 86.9%) then organic chemicals (up 42.3%).
The most modest increase year over year was for Belgian imports of vehicles via a 4.4% gain.
Belgium’s Top Imports of Mineral Fuels Including Oil
In 2021, Belgian importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of mineral fuels-related products.
- Processed petroleum oils: US$23.6 billion (up 60.2% from 2020)
- Petroleum gases: $20.5 billion (up 309.1%)
- Crude oil: $18.9 billion (up 92.2%)
- Coal tar oils (high temperature distillation): $4.3 billion (up 114.6%)
- Electrical energy: $1.9 billion (up 267.9%)
- Coal, solid fuels made from coal: $699.9 million (up 19.5%)
- Petroleum oil residues: $455.8 million (up 120.8%)
- Coke, semi-coke: $163.8 million (up 47.4%)
- Distilled tar: $75.7 million (2020 data unavailable)
- Tar pitch, coke: $55.5 million (down -7.8%)
Among these import subcategories, Belgian purchases of petroleum gases (up 309.1%), electrical energy (up 267.9%) then petroleum oil residues (up 120.8%) grew at the fastest pace from 2020 to 2021.
These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of mineral fuels-related imports among Belgian businesses and consumers.
Belgium’s Top Imports of Pharmaceuticals
In 2021, Belgian importers spent the most on the following subcategories of pharmaceuticals-related products.
- Blood fractions (including antisera): US$34.2 billion (up 42.6% from 2020)
- Medication mixes in dosage: $25.3 billion (up 0.5%)
- Sutures, special pharmaceutical goods: $1.3 billion (up 10.9%)
- Packaged dressings: $399.3 million (up 10%)
- Medication mixes not in dosage: $124.8 million (down -83.3%)
- Dried organs, heparin: $116.7 million (up 45.2%)
Among these import subcategories, Belgian purchases of dried organs and heparin (up 45.2%), blood fractions including antisera (up 42.6%) then sutures and special pharmaceutical goods (up 10.9%) grew at the fastest pace from 2020 to 2021.
These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of pharmaceuticals-related imports among Belgian businesses and consumers.
Belgium’s Top Imports of Automotive Products
In 2021, Belgian importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of vehicles-related products.
- Cars: US$31.9 billion (down -1.8% from 2020)
- Automobile parts/accessories: $10.2 billion (up 13.5%)
- Trucks: $3.9 billion (up 4.8%)
- Motorcycles: $1.5 billion (up 45.9%)
- Tractors: $1.4 billion (up 38.9%)
- Trailers: $861.1 million (up 38.7%)
- Public-transport vehicles: $462.7 million (up 31.2%)
- Motorcycle parts/accessories: $390.9 million (up 42.8%)
- Bicycles, other non-motorized cycles: $370.8 million (down -12.8%)
- Automobile bodies: $266.2 million (up 24.4%)
Among these import subcategories, Belgian purchases of motorcycles (up 45.9%), motorcycle parts or accessories (up 42.8%) then tractors (up 38.9%) grew at the fastest pace from 2020 to 2021.
These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of vehicles-related imports among Belgian businesses and consumers.
Belgium’s Top Imports of Machinery Including Computers
In 2021, Belgian importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of machinery including computers.
- Computers, optical readers: US$4.3 billion (up 22.8% from 2020)
- Centrifuges, filters and purifiers: $2.7 billion (up 45.7%)
- Heavy machinery (bulldozers, excavators, road rollers): $2.3 billion (up 35.5%)
- Taps, valves, similar appliances: $1.6 billion (up 19.2%)
- Machinery parts: $1.41 billion (up 27.6%)
- Air or vacuum pumps: $1.41 billion (up 5.8%)
- Harvest/threshing machinery: $1.36 billion (up 52.9%)
- Liquid pumps and elevators: $1.31 billion (up 17.8%)
- Pneumatic hand tool: $1.29 billion (up 20.1%)
- Miscellaneous machinery: $1.2 billion (up 20.2%)
Among these import subcategories, Belgian purchases of harvest and threshing machinery (up 52.9%), centrifuges, filters and purifiers (up 45.7%) then heavy machinery such as bulldozers, excavators and road rollers (up 35.5%) grew at the fastest pace from 2020 to 2021.
These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of imported machinery among Belgian businesses and consumers.
See also Belgium’s Top 10 Exports, Belgium’s Top Trading Partners, Germany’s Top Trading Partners and France’s Top Trading Partners
Research Sources:
Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook Country Profiles, Central Intelligence Agency. Accessed on June 20, 2022
International Monetary Fund, Exchange Rates selected indicators (Domestic Currency per U.S. dollar, period average). Accessed on June 20, 2022
International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on June 20, 2022
