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Trade between Belgium and the United Kingdom

In 2024, Belgium exported $18.6 billion to the United Kingdom and imported $11.9 billion. Belgium ran a surplus of $6.7 billion with the United Kingdom, compared with a surplus of $17.2 billion in 2019. The United Kingdom was Belgium’s 6th largest trading partner (4% of its trade), and Belgium was the United Kingdom’s 10th (3%).

Summary

Belgium → United Kingdom
$18.6billion
United Kingdom → Belgium
$11.9billion
Belgium’s balance
$6.7billion

Balance

Belgium’s trade balance with the United Kingdom

Trade between Belgium and the United Kingdom grew 20% since 1995

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

  • Exports 18.6
  • Imports 11.9
  • Balance +6.7

Source: CEPII BACI

Show the numbers
YearExportsImportsTrade balance
1995$13.2 billion$12.3 billion$907 million
1996$13.6 billion$13.4 billion$245 million
1997$15.2 billion$14.2 billion$1 billion
1998$15.8 billion$14.5 billion$1.3 billion
1999$15.2 billion$14.4 billion$830 million
2000$16.4 billion$16.1 billion$240 million
2001$16.7 billion$14.7 billion$2 billion
2002$18.2 billion$15.7 billion$2.4 billion
2003$20.3 billion$18.4 billion$1.9 billion
2004$24.3 billion$19.7 billion$4.6 billion
2005$24.6 billion$21.4 billion$3.2 billion
2006$27.3 billion$23.6 billion$3.6 billion
2007$30.7 billion$26 billion$4.6 billion
2008$30.4 billion$27.3 billion$3.1 billion
2009$23.8 billion$19.4 billion$4.3 billion
2010$25.7 billion$19 billion$6.7 billion
2011$29.8 billion$23.2 billion$6.6 billion
2012$27.4 billion$19.2 billion$8.2 billion
2013$29.2 billion$18.7 billion$10.6 billion
2014$30.1 billion$16.8 billion$13.3 billion
2015$27.6 billion$14.8 billion$12.8 billion
2016$30.8 billion$13.7 billion$17.1 billion
2017$31.2 billion$14.8 billion$16.4 billion
2018$33.8 billion$15.9 billion$17.9 billion
2019$31.4 billion$14.2 billion$17.2 billion
2020$27.5 billion$12.2 billion$15.2 billion
2021$30.5 billion$14.1 billion$16.4 billion
2022$20.8 billion$28.6 billion-$7.8 billion
2023$18.6 billion$16.5 billion$2 billion
2024$18.6 billion$11.9 billion$6.7 billion

What they sell each other

What Belgium sells to the United Kingdom

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

  1. Refined petroleum$1.9 billion · 10.3%
    2.2 million tonnes · Belgium’s destinations
  2. Vaccines, blood and antisera$1.5 billion · 8.2%
    509 tonnes · Belgium’s destinations
  3. Cars$1.1 billion · 5.7%
    75 thousand tonnes · Belgium’s destinations
  4. Frozen vegetables$912 million · 4.9%
    441 thousand tonnes
  5. Medicines in measured doses or retail packs$496 million · 2.7%
    5 thousand tonnes · Belgium’s destinations
  6. Platinum$474 million · 2.6%
    9 tonnes · Belgium’s destinations
  7. Chocolate$462 million · 2.5%
    54 thousand tonnes · Belgium’s destinations
  8. Electricity$453 million · 2.4%
    Belgium’s destinations
  9. Auto parts$372 million · 2%
    45 thousand tonnes · Belgium’s destinations
  10. Bread, biscuits and pastries$325 million · 1.8%
    83 thousand tonnes

What the United Kingdom sells to Belgium

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

  1. Natural gas and LPG$2 billion · 16.8%
    2.7 million tonnes
  2. Refined petroleum$1.3 billion · 10.9%
    2 million tonnes · the United Kingdom’s destinations
  3. Cars$952 million · 8%
    62 thousand tonnes · the United Kingdom’s destinations
  4. Medicines in measured doses or retail packs$662 million · 5.6%
    13 thousand tonnes · the United Kingdom’s destinations
  5. Coal tar oils$453 million · 3.8%
    563 thousand tonnes
  6. Open-chain hydrocarbons$336 million · 2.8%
    266 thousand tonnes
  7. Centrifuges and filters$292 million · 2.5%
    6 thousand tonnes
  8. Orthopedic and hearing devices$291 million · 2.5%
    690 tonnes
  9. Trucks$213 million · 1.8%
    18 thousand tonnes · the United Kingdom’s destinations
  10. Turbojets and gas turbines$180 million · 1.5%
    123 tonnes · the United Kingdom’s destinations

How it travels

Estimated sea route from Antwerp to Felixstowe.

The estimated sea route between Antwerp and Felixstowe is 138 nautical miles (256 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$24.1 billion · 79.2%
  2. Air$6.3 billion · 20.8%

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

How much each matters to the other

The United Kingdom was Belgium’s 6th largest trading partner (4% of its trade), and Belgium was the United Kingdom’s 10th (3%).

The United Kingdom in Belgium’s trade
3.9%
The United Kingdom’s rank among Belgium’s partners
6th
Belgium in the United Kingdom’s trade
2.7%
Belgium’s rank among the United Kingdom’s partners
10th

Compare with

Other partners of Belgium

Other partners of the United Kingdom

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.