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Trade between Belgium and the Netherlands

In 2024, Belgium exported $59.7 billion to the Netherlands and imported $85.4 billion. Belgium ran a deficit of $25.8 billion with the Netherlands, compared with a deficit of $14.9 billion in 2019. The Netherlands was Belgium’s largest trading partner (19% of its trade), and Belgium was the Netherlands’ 2nd (12%).

Summary

Belgium → Netherlands
$59.7billion
Netherlands → Belgium
$85.4billion
Belgium’s balance
-$25.8billion

Balance

Belgium’s trade balance with the Netherlands

Trade between Belgium and the Netherlands grew 3.1-fold since 1995

USD billions (current). Belgium’s exports and imports; bars: its balance (green surplus, red deficit).

  • Exports 59.7
  • Imports 85.4
  • Balance -25.8

Source: CEPII BACI

Show the numbers
YearExportsImportsTrade balance
1995$19.2 billion$27.1 billion-$7.9 billion
1996$18.8 billion$29 billion-$10.2 billion
1997$18.5 billion$27.9 billion-$9.5 billion
1998$18.1 billion$27.1 billion-$8.9 billion
1999$17.4 billion$26.8 billion-$9.4 billion
2000$18.3 billion$30.2 billion-$12 billion
2001$17.3 billion$30 billion-$12.6 billion
2002$20.5 billion$30.9 billion-$10.4 billion
2003$24.9 billion$37.2 billion-$12.3 billion
2004$29.4 billion$46.5 billion-$17.1 billion
2005$32.4 billion$55.1 billion-$22.7 billion
2006$37.4 billion$63.8 billion-$26.4 billion
2007$42.4 billion$71.5 billion-$29.1 billion
2008$46.9 billion$88.4 billion-$41.6 billion
2009$35.4 billion$62.9 billion-$27.6 billion
2010$37.9 billion$65.7 billion-$27.8 billion
2011$50.2 billion$82.2 billion-$32 billion
2012$47.6 billion$80.5 billion-$32.9 billion
2013$48 billion$81.3 billion-$33.3 billion
2014$47.7 billion$78.8 billion-$31.1 billion
2015$40.8 billion$55.6 billion-$14.9 billion
2016$40.7 billion$52.7 billion-$12 billion
2017$47.3 billion$62.2 billion-$14.9 billion
2018$51.4 billion$71.7 billion-$20.2 billion
2019$49.5 billion$64.4 billion-$14.9 billion
2020$46.1 billion$57.6 billion-$11.5 billion
2021$61.3 billion$83.3 billion-$22 billion
2022$68.1 billion$84.7 billion-$16.6 billion
2023$63.5 billion$87.1 billion-$23.6 billion
2024$59.7 billion$85.4 billion-$25.8 billion

What they sell each other

What Belgium sells to the Netherlands

The top 10 headings in 2024, with their share of the total.

  1. Refined petroleum$7.3 billion · 12.2%
    9.7 million tonnes · Belgium’s destinations
  2. Cars$2.5 billion · 4.2%
    141 thousand tonnes · Belgium’s destinations
  3. Natural gas and LPG$2.4 billion · 4.1%
    4.7 million tonnes
  4. Medicines in measured doses or retail packs$2.1 billion · 3.5%
    41 thousand tonnes · Belgium’s destinations
  5. Industrial fatty acids and oils$1.4 billion · 2.4%
    957 thousand tonnes
  6. Vaccines, blood and antisera$946 million · 1.6%
    2 thousand tonnes · Belgium’s destinations
  7. Chocolate$868 million · 1.5%
    139 thousand tonnes · Belgium’s destinations
  8. Auto parts$861 million · 1.4%
    98 thousand tonnes · Belgium’s destinations
  9. Coal tar oils$833 million · 1.4%
    1.6 million tonnes
  10. Crude petroleum$801 million · 1.3%
    852 thousand tonnes · the Netherlands’ sources

What the Netherlands sells to Belgium

The top 10 headings in 2024, with their share of the total.

  1. Crude petroleum$21.6 billion · 25.3%
    29.5 million tonnes · the Netherlands’ destinations
  2. Refined petroleum$6.4 billion · 7.5%
    9.1 million tonnes · the Netherlands’ destinations
  3. Cars$2.5 billion · 3%
    113 thousand tonnes · the Netherlands’ destinations
  4. Cameras and broadcast equipment$2.5 billion · 2.9%
    6 thousand tonnes
  5. Natural gas and LPG$1.9 billion · 2.2%
    3.5 million tonnes
  6. Computers$1.8 billion · 2.1%
    8 thousand tonnes · the Netherlands’ destinations
  7. Industrial fatty acids and oils$1.3 billion · 1.6%
    1.3 million tonnes
  8. Computer and office machine parts$901 million · 1.1%
    17 thousand tonnes
  9. Cocoa butter$900 million · 1.1%
    59 thousand tonnes
  10. Electricity$812 million · 0.95%
    the Netherlands’ destinations

How it travels

Estimated sea route from Antwerp to Rotterdam.

The estimated sea route between Antwerp and Rotterdam is 112 nautical miles (208 km) long: ≈ 0.5 days at sea (at 18 and 14 knots).

It does not cross any major canal or strait.

Sailing estimate without port calls, waiting or transshipment; not a schedule. One main reference port per country: in large countries it does not represent all of its ports.

Split by transport mode

  1. Sea$33.2 billion · 22.9%
  2. Land$111.9 billion · 77.1%

Mode estimated from value per kilo and geography; both directions together.

How much each matters to the other

The Netherlands was Belgium’s largest trading partner (19% of its trade), and Belgium was the Netherlands’ 2nd (12%).

The Netherlands in Belgium’s trade
18.7%
The Netherlands’ rank among Belgium’s partners
1st
Belgium in the Netherlands’ trade
12.2%
Belgium’s rank among the Netherlands’ partners
2nd

Compare with

Other partners of Belgium

Other partners of the Netherlands

Sources and methodology

Sources and licenses

Methodology

Goods trade from CEPII BACI (BACI_HS92_V202601), in current US dollars, with exports and imports reconciled between countries. The transport mode is our own estimate based on value per kilo and geography. The sea route comes from our own network derived from World Bank shipping density (not from nautical charts), between one main reference port per country (World Port Index); days are the distance at 14 and 18 knots, without port calls or waiting. Data up to 2024.

Hong Kong, Singapore, the Netherlands and Belgium re-export goods from other countries: their figures include transit.