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Trade between Belgium and the United States

In 2024, Belgium exported $26.6 billion to the United States and imported $23.2 billion. Belgium ran a surplus of $3.4 billion with the United States, compared with a surplus of $313 million in 2019. The United States was Belgium’s 4th largest trading partner (6% of its trade), and Belgium was the United States’ 21st (1%).

Summary

Belgium → United States
$26.6billion
United States → Belgium
$23.2billion
Belgium’s balance
$3.4billion

Balance

Belgium’s trade balance with the United States

Trade between Belgium and the United States grew 3.2-fold since 1995

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

  • Exports 26.6
  • Imports 23.2
  • Balance +3.4

Source: CEPII BACI

Show the numbers
YearExportsImportsTrade balance
1995$6.5 billion$9.1 billion-$2.6 billion
1996$7.2 billion$10.1 billion-$2.9 billion
1997$8.3 billion$12.5 billion-$4.2 billion
1998$9 billion$13.4 billion-$4.3 billion
1999$9.3 billion$12 billion-$2.7 billion
2000$10.4 billion$13.8 billion-$3.4 billion
2001$9.9 billion$13 billion-$3.1 billion
2002$10.3 billion$13.2 billion-$2.9 billion
2003$10.4 billion$14.4 billion-$4 billion
2004$13.3 billion$16.6 billion-$3.3 billion
2005$14 billion$17.5 billion-$3.5 billion
2006$15.5 billion$19.7 billion-$4.2 billion
2007$15.7 billion$24.2 billion-$8.5 billion
2008$17.9 billion$25.5 billion-$7.6 billion
2009$14.1 billion$20.4 billion-$6.3 billion
2010$15.3 billion$12.1 billion$3.2 billion
2011$16.8 billion$14.8 billion$2 billion
2012$16.2 billion$13.9 billion$2.3 billion
2013$17 billion$15.4 billion$1.6 billion
2014$19.1 billion$15.5 billion$3.5 billion
2015$16.9 billion$14.4 billion$2.5 billion
2016$16.3 billion$16.8 billion-$529 million
2017$14.4 billion$17.1 billion-$2.7 billion
2018$17.3 billion$18.9 billion-$1.7 billion
2019$20.2 billion$19.9 billion$313 million
2020$21.6 billion$16.9 billion$4.7 billion
2021$21.6 billion$20.4 billion$1.2 billion
2022$27.4 billion$24.3 billion$3 billion
2023$22.9 billion$28.8 billion-$5.8 billion
2024$26.6 billion$23.2 billion$3.4 billion

What they sell each other

What Belgium sells to the United States

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

  1. Vaccines, blood and antisera$8.2 billion · 30.7%
    2 thousand tonnes · Belgium’s destinations
  2. Medicines in measured doses or retail packs$4.6 billion · 17.1%
    7 thousand tonnes · Belgium’s destinations
  3. Diamonds$1.5 billion · 5.7%
    Belgium’s destinations
  4. Cars$1.4 billion · 5.2%
    76 thousand tonnes · Belgium’s destinations
  5. Refined petroleum$828 million · 3.1%
    1.1 million tonnes · Belgium’s destinations
  6. Platinum$448 million · 1.7%
    9 tonnes · Belgium’s destinations
  7. Air pumps, compressors and fans$344 million · 1.3%
    13 thousand tonnes
  8. Nucleic acids and other heterocycles$344 million · 1.3%
    19 thousand tonnes
  9. Paintings and drawings$328 million · 1.2%
    28 tonnes
  10. Turbojets and gas turbines$326 million · 1.2%
    240 tonnes · the United States’ sources

What the United States sells to Belgium

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

  1. Medicines in measured doses or retail packs$3.3 billion · 14.1%
    2 thousand tonnes · the United States’ destinations
  2. Vaccines, blood and antisera$2.1 billion · 9%
    879 tonnes · the United States’ destinations
  3. Refined petroleum$1.2 billion · 5.1%
    1.8 million tonnes · the United States’ destinations
  4. Natural gas and LPG$1.2 billion · 5%
    2.3 million tonnes
  5. Polyethylene$897 million · 3.9%
    496 thousand tonnes · the United States’ destinations
  6. Orthopedic and hearing devices$887 million · 3.8%
    727 tonnes
  7. Medical and dental instruments$845 million · 3.6%
    13 thousand tonnes · the United States’ destinations
  8. Turbojets and gas turbines$763 million · 3.3%
    594 tonnes · the United States’ destinations
  9. Bulk medicines$629 million · 2.7%
    1 thousand tonnes
  10. Cars$458 million · 2%
    30 thousand tonnes · the United States’ destinations

How it travels

Estimated sea route from Antwerp to Los Angeles.

The estimated sea route between Antwerp and Los Angeles is 7,947 nautical miles (14,718 km) long: ≈ 18.5–23.5 days at sea (at 18 and 14 knots).

Passages it crosses: Strait of Dover and Panama Canal.

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$19.5 billion · 39.1%
  2. Air$30.3 billion · 60.9%

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

How much each matters to the other

The United States was Belgium’s 4th largest trading partner (6% of its trade), and Belgium was the United States’ 21st (1%).

The United States in Belgium’s trade
6.4%
The United States’ rank among Belgium’s partners
4th
Belgium in the United States’ trade
1%
Belgium’s rank among the United States’ partners
21st

Compare with

Other partners of Belgium

Other partners of the United States

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.