Country exposure · BE

Belgium
Europe · Brussels · federal parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy
What Belgium means for your money — the prices you pay, the tariffs in motion, and where U.S. policy could change both.

$27.2B
U.S. imports, 2025
-2.2%
change in one year
$36.3B
U.S. exports, 2025
12M
Population
$664.6B
GDP
In your house
What you buy that Belgium makes
America bought $27.2B in goods from Belgium in 2025. Of every $100 of it, here's where the money went.
Pharmaceutical preparations
medicines and pharmacy items
U.s. goods returned, and reimports
Other precious metals
Gem diamonds
Passenger cars, new and used
new and used cars
Petroleum products, other
gasoline and petroleum products
Fuel oil
fuel oil
Chemicals-organic
Bakery products
Artwork, antiques, stamps, etc.
2026 so far (through April): $9.2B in imports. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, International Trade in Goods (customs basis).
The other direction
What America sells to Belgium
$36.3B in 2025 — a trade rupture cuts both ways, for American producers as well as American prices.
Pharmaceutical preparations
$6.9Bmedicines and pharmacy items
Chemicals-organic
$3.2BPlastic materials
$2.8Bplastics for packaging and goods
Medicinal equipment
$2.1Bmedical devices and equipment
Gas-natural
$1.9BPassenger cars, new and used
$1.4Bnew and used cars
Chemicals-other
$1.4BNatural gas liquids
$1.2BCell phones and other household goods, n.e.c.
$1.1Bcell phones and home electronics
Where you stand
U.S. tariff posture toward Belgium
Since February 24, 2026 most EU goods face the universal 10% Section 122 temporary import surcharge, which replaced the framework's 15% all-inclusive IEEPA structure when EO 14389 terminated the reciprocal tariffs. The framework's Section 232 terms persist: EU autos at 15%, and the April 2026 metals expansion expressly preserved the EU's trade-agreement-partner treatment (steel and aluminum otherwise at 50%).
The United States negotiates tariffs with the European Union as a single market — every measure here applies to Belgium as an EU member.
Reciprocal tariff (assigned — terminated)
20%
The rate this country was assigned under the EO 14257 reciprocal Annex — no longer in force. The Supreme Court struck down the IEEPA tariffs and they were terminated February 24, 2026 (EO 14389), replaced by a universal ~10% Section 122 surcharge. See the timeline below for the current effective rate.
Section 232 sectors
Autos, Wood
Steel, aluminum, autos, and similar national-security tariffs that name this country.
Policy in motion
Tariff status: a moving target
U.S. tariff policy toward the European Union — and with it Belgium — has changed 11 times since 2025. This page tracks it.
2026-04-06
EU treatment preserved in expanded metals tariffs
In effectThe April 2026 proclamation expanding Section 232 coverage of aluminum, steel, and copper derivatives expressly does not alter or supersede the prior U.S.–EU agreement implementation, and lists the EU among 'Trade Agreement Partners' eligible for its exclusion process.
91 FR 18201 →2026-02-24
IEEPA reciprocal tariffs terminated — replaced by 10% Section 122
In effectExecutive Order 14389 (Ending Certain Tariff Actions) terminated the IEEPA tariff duties — including those under EO 14257, the basis of the EU's 15% all-inclusive structure — effective February 24, 2026. A flat 10% Section 122 temporary import surcharge (Proclamation 11012 of February 20, 2026) replaced them. The framework's Section 232 terms (the 15% EU autos cap, metals carve-outs) rest on separate authority and were expressly unaffected.
91 FR 9437 →2025-09-25
Framework implemented: preferential treatment for certain EU goods
In effectActing under the September 8, 2025 procedures order, Commerce and USTR modified the HTSUS to implement the framework — preferential (zero) reciprocal treatment for certain EU goods and a reduction of the Section 232 automobile and parts duty to 15% for EU-origin vehicles.
90 FR 46136 →2025-08-21
U.S.–EU Framework Agreement joint statement
AgreementThe United States and the European Union issued the Joint Statement on a Framework on an Agreement on Reciprocal, Fair, and Balanced Trade: the U.S. committed to the 15% all-inclusive ceiling, zero reciprocal duty on certain products, and a cut of the Section 232 automobile duty to 15%; the EU committed to eliminate tariffs on U.S. industrial goods and expand agricultural access, plus $750B in U.S. energy procurement through 2028.
Source ↗2025-08-07
15% all-inclusive structure replaces the 20% rate
In effectThe July 31, 2025 order ('Further Modifying the Reciprocal Tariff Rates') gave the EU a unique structure effective August 7, 2025: for goods with an MFN (Column 1) rate below 15%, the reciprocal duty tops the total up to exactly 15%; goods with an MFN rate of 15% or higher pay no additional reciprocal duty.
Federal Register · 2025-15010 →2025-07-09
Reciprocal-rate pause extended to August 1
In effectThe July 7, 2025 order extended the suspension of country-specific reciprocal rates through August 1, 2025, keeping the EU at the 10% baseline while framework talks continued.
90 FR 30823 →2025-06-04
Section 232 steel and aluminum duties doubled to 50%
In effectThe June 3, 2025 proclamation raised Section 232 duties on steel and aluminum articles and derivatives from 25% to 50% effective June 4, 2025, with no EU carve-out.
90 FR 24199 →2025-04-10
90-day pause suspends the 20% rate back to 10%
In effectThe April 9, 2025 modification order suspended country-specific reciprocal rates for 90 days for all partners except China, returning the EU to the 10% universal baseline effective April 10, 2025 while negotiations proceeded.
90 FR 15625 →2025-04-09
EU country-specific reciprocal rate of 20% takes effect
In effectAnnex I of Executive Order 14257 assigned the European Union a 20% country-specific reciprocal rate, effective April 9, 2025 — the rate still carried for the EU in the HTS Chapter 99 Subchapter III note.
Federal Register · 2025-06063 →2025-04-05
Universal 10% reciprocal baseline takes effect
In effectExecutive Order 14257 (signed April 2, 2025) imposed a 10% ad valorem reciprocal duty on imports from all trading partners, including the EU, effective April 5, 2025. The order singled out the EU's 5% average MFN rate and 10% passenger-vehicle tariff as examples of non-reciprocal treatment.
Federal Register · 2025-06063 →2025-03-12
Section 232 steel and aluminum arrangements terminated — 25% duties on EU metals
In effectProclamations of February 10, 2025 ended the EU's tariff-rate-quota arrangements for steel and aluminum and raised the aluminum duty from 10% to 25%, applying 25% Section 232 duties to EU steel and aluminum effective March 12, 2025.
90 FR 9817 →
Made for America
What Belgium makes for America
Belgium is a direct U.S. source of 12 essential goods Americans rely on — the items themselves, shipped finished off the line.
health
7% of U.S.Cancer and specialty drugs
$5.6B to the U.S.
health
39% of U.S.Vaccines
$3.7B to the U.S.
health
2% of U.S.OTC medicines
$2.0B to the U.S.
materials
5% of U.S.Jewelry
$1.0B to the U.S.
materials
Vehicles and light trucks
$786M to the U.S.
energy
3% of U.S.Home heating oil
$605M to the U.S.
energy
3% of U.S.Gasoline and diesel
$540M to the U.S.
materials
2% of U.S.Steel and iron products
$488M to the U.S.
food
7% of U.S.Frozen foods
$361M to the U.S.
food
5% of U.S.Chocolate and cocoa products
$302M to the U.S.
materials
1% of U.S.Aluminum and aluminum products
$155M to the U.S.
food
2% of U.S.Snacks & confectionery
$150M to the U.S.
Go deeper
The supply chain view
Belgium sits upstream of 24 essential American goods through 12 tracked inputs.
pharmaceutical
100%AS01B Adjuvant System (GSK proprietary)
mineral
70%Nickel sulfate (battery grade)
chemical
50%Amine Desulfurization Chemicals
pharmaceutical
40%Malaria Vaccine (R21/Matrix-M, RTS,S)
mineral
30%Battery-Grade Zinc Powder
manufactured
25%Spent Autocatalysts (Secondary PGM Feedstock)
Reference
The country itself
Europe · Geography, people, economy, and government — public-domain data from the CIA World Factbook.
Belgium became independent from the Netherlands in 1830; it was occupied by Germany during World Wars I and II. The country prospered as a modern, technologically advanced European state and member of NATO and the EU. In recent years, longstanding tensions between the Dutch-speaking Flemish of the north and the French-speaking Walloons of the south have led to constitutional amendments granting these regions formal recognition and autonomy. The capital city of Brussels is home to numerous international organizations, including the EU and NATO.

Geography
- Location
- Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between France and the Netherlands
- Area
- 30,528 sq km
- Climate
- temperate; mild winters, cool summers; rainy, humid, cloudy
- Terrain
- flat coastal plains in northwest, central rolling hills, rugged mountains of Ardennes Forest in southeast
- Natural resources
- construction materials, silica sand, carbonates, arable land
- Coastline
- 66.5 km
- Natural hazards
- flooding is a threat along rivers and in areas of reclaimed coastal land, protected from the sea by concrete dikes
People & society
- Population
- 11,960,170 (2025 est.)
- Nationality
- Belgian(s)
- Ethnic groups
- Belgian 75.2%, Italian 4.1%, Moroccan 3.7%, French 2.4%, Turkish 2%, Dutch 2%, other 10.6% (2012 est.)
- Languages
- Dutch (official) 60%, French (official) 40%, German (official) less than 1%
- Religions
- Roman Catholic 57.1%, Protestant 2.3%, other Christian, 2.8%, Muslim 6.8%, other 1.7%, atheist 9.1%, nonbeliever/agnostic 20.2% (2018 est.)
- Median age
- 42.4 years (2025 est.)
- Life expectancy at birth
- 82.3 years (2024 est.)
Economy
- Economic overview
- high-income, core EU and eurozone economy; slow growth with weakened domestic consumption and export demand; high public debt and structural deficits linked to social spending; aging workforce with weak productivity growth and participation rates
- Industries
- engineering and metal products, motor vehicle assembly, transportation equipment, scientific instruments, processed food and beverages, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, base metals, textiles, glass, petroleum
- Agricultural products
- sugar beets, milk, potatoes, wheat, pork, lettuce, maize, chicken, barley, pears (2023)
- Exports - partners
- France 20%, Netherlands 15%, Germany 14%, Italy 6%, USA 5% (2023)
- Imports - partners
- Netherlands 20%, Germany 13%, France 11%, USA 7%, Ireland 4% (2023)
Government
- Government type
- federal parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy
- Capital
- Brussels
- Independence
- 4 October 1830 (a provisional government declared independence from the Netherlands); 21 July 1831 (King LEOPOLD I ascended to the throne)
- Constitution
- drafted 25 November 1830, approved 7 February 1831, entered into force 26 July 1831, revised 14 July 1993 (creating a federal state)
- Executive branch
- King PHILIPPE (since 21 July 2013)
- Legislative branch
- Federal Parliament (Parlement fédéral - Federaal Parlement - Föderales Parlament)
Full reference data
Every field, by section — CIA World Factbook. Open a topic to expand it.
Introduction
Travel Facts
Please visit the following links to find further information about your desired destination.
World Health Organization (WHO) - To learn what vaccines and health precautions to take while visiting your destination.
US State Dept Travel Information - Overall information about foreign travel for US citizens.
To obtain an international driving permit (IDP). Only two organizations in the US issue IDPs: American Automobile Association (AAA) and American Automobile Touring Alliance (AATA)
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Page last updated: Wednesday, October 05, 2022