Belgium imported US$623.2 billion worth of products from around the world in 2022.

That dollar metric results from a 37% increase from $455.1 billion in Belgian spending on imports during 2018.

From 2021 to 2022, the total value of Belgium’s imports rose 17% compared to $532.5 billion.

Based on the average exchange rate for 2022, Belgium’s official currency is the euro which depreciated by -12.1% against the US dollar since 2018 and diluted by -12.3% from 2021 to 2022. The weaker European Union currency in 2022 made Belgium’s imports paid for in stronger US dollars relatively more expensive when converted starting from euros.

Main Suppliers for Belgian Imports

The latest available country-specific data shows that 75.8% of products imported by Belgium were supplied by exporters in: Netherlands (18.4% of the global total), Germany (11.6%), France (9.2%), mainland China (5.96%), United States of America (5.95%), United Kingdom (5.8%), Ireland (4.11%), Spain (4.06%), Italy (3.8%), Norway (2.9%), Russia (2.2%) and Japan (1.8%).

Applying a continental lens, 71.3% of Belgium’s total imports by value were purchased from fellow European countries. Asian trade partners accounted for 17% of Belgian import purchases while another 7.5% worth of goods originated from North America.

Smaller percentages came from Africa (2.4%), Latin America (1.5%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean, then Oceania (0.4%) led by Australia and New Zealand.

Given Belgium’s population of 11.6 million people, its total $623.2 billion in 2022 imports translates to roughly $53,600 in yearly product demand from every person in the European Union country. That dollar metric exceeds the $44,700 per capita one year earlier in 2021.

Belgium’s Top 10 Imports

The following product groups represent the highest dollar value in Belgium’s import purchases during 2022. Also shown is the percentage share each product category represents in terms of overall imports into Belgium.

1. Mineral fuels including oil: US$137.4 billion (22% of total imports)
2. Pharmaceuticals: $79.7 billion (12.8%)
3. Vehicles: $54.3 billion (8.7%)
4. Organic chemicals: $41.4 billion (6.6%)
5. Machinery including computers: $36.8 billion (5.9%)
6. Electrical machinery, equipment: $30.5 billion (4.9%)
7. Plastics, plastic articles: $24.9 billion (4%)
8. Gems, precious metals: $20.2 billion (3.2%)
9. Iron, steel: $19.4 billion (3.1%)
10. Optical, technical, medical apparatus: $13.7 billion (2.2%)

Belgium’s top 10 imports generated almost three-quarters (73.6%) of the overall value of its product purchases from other countries.

The fastest-growing imported product group was mineral fuels including oil (up 95.1% from 2021) ahead of Belgian imports of pharmaceuticals (up 14.8%) then electrical machinery and equipment (up 9.4%).

The severest declining product category was Belgium’s imports of machinery including computers (down -3.7% from 2021).

Belgium’s Top Imports of Mineral Fuels Including Oil

In 2022, Belgian importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of mineral fuels-related products.

1. Petroleum gases: US$64.8 billion (up 216.5% from 2021)
2. Processed petroleum oils: $34.6 billion (up 47.5%)
3. Crude oil: $25 billion (up 33.6%)
4. Coal tar oils (high temperature distillation): $5.6 billion (up 32.1%)
5. Electrical energy: $4.1 billion (up 109.7%)
6. Coal, solid fuels made from coal: $1.8 billion (up 161.7%)
7. Petroleum oil residues: $639.3 million (up 38.8%)
8. Coke, semi-coke: $459.8 million (up 182%)
9. Petroleum jelly, mineral waxes: $76.4 million (up 45.2%)
10. Tar pitch, coke: $75.9 million (up 38.6%)

Among these import subcategories, Belgian purchases of petroleum gases (up 216.5%), coke or semi-coke (up 182%) then coal including solid fuels made from coal (up 161.7%) grew at the fastest pace from 2021 to 2022.

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 2022, Belgian importers spent the most on the following subcategories of pharmaceuticals-related products.

1. Blood fractions (including antisera): US$48.3 billion (up 14.5% from 2021)
2. Medication mixes in dosage: $29.3 billion (up 15.7%)
3. Sutures, special pharmaceutical goods: $1.4 billion (up 5.5%)
4. Packaged dressings: $463.4 million (up 16.1%)
5. Medication mixes not in dosage: $159.8 million (up 27.5%)
6. Dried organs, heparin: $145.5 million (up 26.2%)

Among these import subcategories, Belgian purchases of medication mixes not in dosage (up 27.5%), dried organs and heparin (up 26.2%) then packaged dressings (up 16.1%) grew at the fastest pace from 2021 to 2022.

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 2022, Belgian importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of vehicles-related products.

1. Cars: US$34.5 billion (up 8% from 2021)
2. Automobile parts/accessories: $10 billion (down -1.9%)
3. Trucks: $3.8 billion (down -4.4%)
4. Tractors: $1.7 billion (up 17.7%)
5. Motorcycles: $1.7 billion (up 13.5%)
6. Trailers: $844.7 million (down -1.5%)
7. Bicycles, other non-motorized cycles: $490.1 million (up 33.1%)
8. Motorcycle parts/accessories: $379.2 million (down -3%)
9. Public-transport vehicles: $356.5 million (down -22.1%)
10. Automobile bodies: $286.7 million (up 9.7%)

Among these import subcategories, Belgian purchases of bicycles and other non-motorized cycles (up 33.1%), tractors (up 17.7%) then motorcycles (up 13.5%) grew at the fastest pace from 2021 to 2022.

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 Organic Chemicals

In 2022, Belgian importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of organic chemicals.

1. Miscellaneous heterocyclics: US$6.5 billion (down -46.1% from 2021)
2. Heterocyclics, nucleic acids: $4.7 billion (down -6.5%)
3. Cyclic hydrocarbons: $4.5 billion (up 2%)
4. Hormones, miscellaneous steroids: $4.3 billion (up 82.3%)
5. Acyclic hydrocarbons: $4.07 billion (up 20.8%)
6. Saturated acyclic mono acids: $2.82 billion (up 30.3%)
7. Acyclic alcohols: $1.97 billion (up 13.5%)
8. Amino-compounds (oxygen): $1.47 billion (down -0.9%)
9. Unsaturated acyclic mono acids: $1.17 billion (up 7.2%)
10. Sulphonamides: $1.1 billion (up 27.8%)

Among these import subcategories, Belgian purchases of hormones and miscellaneous steroids (up 82.3%), saturated acyclic mono acids (up 30.3%) then sulphonamides (up 27.8%) grew at the fastest pace from 2021 to 2022.

These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of imported organic chemicals 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 May 17, 2023

International Monetary Fund, Exchange Rates selected indicators (Domestic Currency per U.S. dollar, period average). Accessed on May 17, 2023

International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on May 17, 2023