France and Belgium
France and Belgium maintain a neighboring relationship with closely connected economies and communities. Transport, industry, energy and cross-border cooperation are everyday issues in the relationship.
Analysis reviewed: 2026-10-07 · Indicators updated: 2026-10-07A cross-border relationship
Geographical proximity and cultural ties facilitate people-to-people exchanges and rail and river infrastructure.
Subsidiaries and productive sectors
Businesses operate in services, energy, manufacturing, distribution and chemicals.
Industrial cooperation for decarbonization
The profile identifies the creation of Rely by Technip Energies and John Cockerill as an example of industrial cooperation in green hydrogen.
Bilateral indicators
Blank cells: data unavailable.
| Indicator | Value | Period |
|---|---|---|
| Goods trade | 102,693.92 M USD | 2025 · UN Comtrade / FRA |
| Goods: France to Belgium | 51,360.72 M USD | 2025 · UN Comtrade / FRA |
| Goods: Belgium to France | 51,333.19 M USD | 2025 · UN Comtrade / FRA |
| Services trade | ||
| Export share: France to Belgium | 7.45 % | 2025 · UN Comtrade / FRA |
| Export share: Belgium to France | ||
| Investment stock: France in Belgium | ||
| Investment stock: Belgium in France |
Definitions and sources
Trade adds both directions. Shares refer to the country’s total goods exports; investment is an accumulated stock, not an annual flow. Every figure retains the currency and period of its source. BEA positions are historical-cost estimates based on the immediate counterpart, not market values or investment by ultimate owner. ‘More than’ indicates a lower bound, not an exact amount. A recorded stock does not establish new activity or authorisation to operate under sanctions.
- Goods trade
- 2025 · UN Comtrade / FRA · Goods; full year; FRA reporter. Exports normally FOB and imports CIF according to the reporter's coverage. No addition of mirror reports.
- Goods: France to Belgium
- 2025 · UN Comtrade / FRA · Goods; full year; FRA reporter. Exports normally FOB and imports CIF according to the reporter's coverage. No addition of mirror reports.
- Goods: Belgium to France
- 2025 · UN Comtrade / FRA · Goods; full year; FRA reporter. Exports normally FOB and imports CIF according to the reporter's coverage. No addition of mirror reports.
- Export share: France to Belgium
- 2025 · UN Comtrade / FRA · Goods share: FRA exports to the partner / the same reporter's exports to the world, same year.
Country comparison
Period and source beside each figure · est. = estimate by the stated institution.
| Indicator | France | Belgium |
|---|---|---|
| Nominal GDP | 3.37 trillion USD2025 · WB | 725.47 billion USD2025 · WB |
| GDP per capita | 48,985.73 USD2025 · WB | 60,750.27 USD2025 · WB |
| GDP growth | 0.84 %2025 · WB | 0.98 %2025 · WB |
| Policy interest rate | 2.5 %2026-09-16 · BCE | |
| Inflation · annual average | 0.94 %Annual average · 2025 · WB | 2.47 %Annual average · 2025 · WB |
| Inflation · latest year-on-year figure | 3 %provisionalprovisionalYear-on-year · Sept. 2026 · Insee | |
| Unemployment | 7.54 %ILO est.2025 · WB | 5.91 %ILO est.2025 · WB |
| Budget balance (% of GDP) | -5.1 %IMF est.2025 · IMF | -5.3 %IMF est.2025 · IMF |
| Gross public debt (% of GDP) | 116 %IMF est.2025 · IMF | 106.3 %IMF est.2025 · IMF |
| Current account balance (% of GDP) | -0.27 %2025 · WB | -1.93 %2025 · WB |
| Population | 68,720,3372025 · WB | 11,941,781World Bank est.2025 · WB |
| Area | 606,410 km²2023 · BM / FAO | 30,689 km²2023 · WB |
| Military expenditure | ||
| Military expenditure (% of GDP) |
Definitions, dates and sources
Blank cells are not zero. Average annual inflation and the latest year-on-year figure appear in separate rows: they are not the same measure. Every annual indicator retains its reference year; when the years differ, the figures are identified as not directly comparable. When a figure is unavailable from the World Bank, an annual IMF estimate is used and identified as such. The latest year-on-year figure is the latest official release verified as of 7 October 2026. This includes advance releases marked as provisional. Mexico may have a fortnightly figure before the full month is published; it is not automatically compared with a monthly figure. The publication date is retained in each source’s details; it does not replace the observation period or the annual average. Policy rates carry their own dates and represent different instruments. Spain and France share the ECB rate. Balances are positive for surpluses and negative for deficits. The IMF may use fiscal years; unemployment retains each source’s definition (ILO estimates, IMF WEO or PCBS), as stated in the details. For Palestine, debt and the fiscal balance cover central government and retain the PCBS definition; they are not presented as consolidated general government. These are economic magnitudes, not measures of relationship quality.
Area retains each source’s territorial coverage; it does not determine sovereignty or effective control. Canada uses an archived national geographic reference. Military expenditure retains the 2024 SIPRI sample distributed by the World Bank: the amount and percentage of GDP use that same definition, which differs from NATO’s. It is not an approved budget or a 2026 figure. Information from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). Military expenditure database · Terms of use0
Indicators reviewed: 2026-10-07. Each source retains its original access date; this review does not turn all the data into 2026 observations. Figures may be revised.
- Nominal GDP
- Current USDFrance: 2025 · World BankBelgium: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.
- GDP per capita
- Current USD per personFrance: 2025 · World BankBelgium: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.
- GDP growth
- Annual real change (%)France: 2025 · World BankBelgium: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.
- Policy interest rate
- Central bank instrument (%)France: 2026-09-16 · ECB deposit facility; shared euro-area rate · European Central Bank
- Inflation · annual average
- Average annual change in headline CPI (%)France: 2025 · Annual average change in CPI (%) · World BankBelgium: 2025 · Annual average CPI change (%) · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.
- Inflation · latest year-on-year figure
- Headline CPI relative to the same period of the previous year (%); monthly or fortnightly frequency statedFrance: 2026-09 · Change in headline CPI from the same month of the previous year (%) · Insee · Published: 2026-09-30 · provisional · Provisional · National headline CPI, year-on-year, not monthly inflation or an annual average. Provisional data or an official advance release; subject to revision.
- Unemployment
- % of the labour force; definition used by the stated institutionFrance: 2025 · World Bank · ILO est.Belgium: 2025 · ILO modelled estimate; percentage of the labour force · World Bank · ILO est. · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.
- Budget balance
- General government (% of GDP)France: 2025 · IMF — World Economic Outlook · IMF est.Belgium: 2025 · IMF · IMF est. · WEO general-government estimate, % of GDP. Not an observed balance for the current month.
- Gross public debt
- General government (% of GDP)France: 2025 · IMF — World Economic Outlook · IMF est.Belgium: 2025 · IMF · IMF est. · WEO general-government estimate, % of GDP. Not an observed balance for the current month.
- Current account balance
- % of GDPFrance: 2025 · World BankBelgium: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.
- Population
- PeopleFrance: 2025 · World BankBelgium: 2025 · World Bank · WB est. · The World Bank indicates a population extrapolation; this is not a 2025 census count.
- Area
- Total area in km²; territorial coverage of the sourceFrance: 2023 · Total area, including inland waters; territorial coverage as defined by the source · World Bank · FAOBelgium: 2023 · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.
- Military expenditure
- Current USD per year; SIPRI series
- Military expenditure (% of GDP)
- Percentage of GDP; SIPRI definition, not NATO’s definition
Other data specific to this relationship
What they buy and sell
Documented selection, not an exhaustive list. Cells without a figure do not mean zero value; some products are identified without a verified amount.
France to Belgium
| Product or sector | Value / share |
|---|---|
| Vehicles and components | 6,083.3 M USD2025 · Source |
| Electrical and electronic equipment | 4,935.9 M USD2025 · Source |
| Pharmaceutical products | 3,751.3 M USD2025 · Source |
| Machinery and mechanical appliances | 3,563.4 M USD2025 · Source |
| Mineral fuels and oils | 3,321.6 M USD2025 · Source |
| Dairy products, eggs and honey | 1,237 M USD2025 · Source |
| Meat and edible offal | 607.7 M USD2025 · Source |
| Metal ores | 86.4 M USD2025 · Source |
Belgium to France
| Product or sector | Value / share |
|---|---|
| Mineral fuels and oils | 11,089.2 M USD2025 · Source |
| Vehicles and components | 2,550.4 M USD2025 · Source |
| Pharmaceutical products | 2,135.4 M USD2025 · Source |
| Machinery and mechanical appliances | 2,058.7 M USD2025 · Source |
| Dairy products, eggs and honey | 1,132.8 M USD2025 · Source |
| Meat and edible offal | 955.2 M USD2025 · Source |
| Electrical and electronic equipment | 768.7 M USD2025 · Source |
| Metal ores | 45.1 M USD2025 · Source |
How trade has changed
Billions of current USD · full calendar years
View chart figures
| Period | Total | France to Belgium | Belgium to France |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 100,756.6 | 44,810 | 55,946.6 |
| 2022 | 122,680.6 | 49,006.5 | 73,674.1 |
| 2023 | 120,098 | 52,977.1 | 67,120.9 |
| 2024 | 107,956.2 | 49,793.6 | 58,162.6 |
| 2025 | 102,693.9 | 51,360.7 | 51,333.2 |
Connections between people
Proximity, transport and linguistic ties connect communities and labor markets. Data on residents, trips and cross-border activity require different definitions. [1]
Residents, study and travel
Blank cells: data unavailable. Each measure retains its definition and period.
| Indicator | Value | Period / source |
|---|---|---|
| Residents from France living in Belgium | ||
| Residents from Belgium living in France | ||
| Study and training: France in Belgium | ||
| Study and training: Belgium in France | ||
| Academic stays: France in Belgium | ||
| Academic stays: Belgium in France | ||
| Travel: France to Belgium | ||
| Travel: Belgium to France |
What each figure measures
Residents are counted by nationality and the coverage of the stated register, not as people born in the other country or as new arrivals in one year. PERE includes dual nationals and people born outside Spain. Study with OPT and stays carrying academic credit are different measures. Travel may include several visits by the same person; FRONTUR arrivals require an overnight stay, whereas the Canadian survey includes day visits. These figures are neither added together nor automatically compared across directions.
Mobility data added or reviewed: 2026-10-07. Reference periods may be earlier.
Underlying ties
History, institutions and long-standing issues.
A cross-border relationship
Geographical proximity and cultural ties facilitate people-to-people exchanges and rail and river infrastructure. Cooperation includes security and European affairs, alongside contacts between border territories. [1]
Subsidiaries and productive sectors
Businesses operate in services, energy, manufacturing, distribution and chemicals. Subsidiaries and their jobs are a different dimension from trade in goods; their local sales are not added to customs flows. [1]
Language, mobility and services
The French language shared by part of Belgium's population facilitates social, educational and professional contacts. Cross-border mobility cannot be accurately summarized by a single number of tourists or residents. [1]
The scale of both economies
Nominal GDP for France is 3,366.3 billion USD (2025), compared with 725.5 for Belgium (2025). The reference populations are 68.72 and 11.94 million, respectively. In the same year, the economy of France was 4.64 times that of Belgium in nominal GDP. The comparison provides context on market size, but does not, on its own, measure influence, well-being or diplomatic closeness. Estimates and their sources retain their labels in the tables. [5] [6] [7] [8]
Recent developments
Recent developments and latest available data · Reviewed: 2026-10-07
Industrial cooperation for decarbonization
The profile identifies the creation of Rely by Technip Energies and John Cockerill as an example of industrial cooperation in green hydrogen. This is a specific business initiative, not a measure of all bilateral trade. [1]
What merchandise trade shows
In 2025, merchandise trade between the two countries (France and Belgium) totalled 102,693.9 million current USD. Shipments from the first to the second were 51,360.7 million; those in the opposite direction, 51,333.2 million. The difference between the two flows was 27.5 million, in favour of France. This is a goods balance, not the total balance of the economic relationship: it excludes services, income and transfers. Both directions come from a single customs reporter to avoid adding mirror records. [2]
The partner's share of exports
Sales from France to the partner represented 7.45% of its worldwide goods exports in 2025. The share compares the same reporter, year and coverage. It measures export concentration, not the percentage of GDP dependent on this relationship. A partner may be important in a specific sector even if its share of total goods trade is small. [2]
Five years of trade trends
The consistent series shows 100,756.6 million USD in 2021 and 102,693.9 million in 2025. The change between the two endpoints was +1.9 % in current dollars. The highest annual value in the period was recorded in 2022, at 122,680.6 million. The chart allows the two directions to be compared to see whether they moved together or differently. The change combines quantities, prices and exchange rates; it is not automatically attributed to a treaty, a visit or a political decision. The same reporter is retained and missing years are not interpolated. [3]
Documented trade sectors
Within the selected chapters, vehicles and components stands out in shipments from France to Belgium, at 6,083.3 million USD in 2025. Within the selected chapters, mineral fuels and oils stands out in shipments from Belgium to France, at 11,089.2 million USD in 2025. The table compares eight selected chapters with the same coverage as the trade total. It is not a complete list or proof that the first item in this selection is the leading product across the entire relationship. A chapter groups numerous goods: machinery and components, for example, do not describe a single business transaction. [4]
Milestones and consequences
- 2026-03-20
Bilateral profile updated
The source describes cross-border and industrial cooperation and retains the original years of its figures. [1]
Sources and data
Periods and scope of the figures
Institutional sources and periods accompany each figure. Annual trade, investment positions, residents and visits are distinct measures. Empty cells do not mean zero. Statements of intent are not presented as project implementation or treaties in force.
- Bilateral relations: FRA-BEL
France's Ministry of Foreign Affairs · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- Annual TOTAL X/M; 2025; reporter 251; partners 0,392,36,124,484,32,152,170,528,56,756,752,579,208,300,792,682,634,400,422,710,404
UN Comtrade / FRA · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- Trade series 2021–2025
UN Comtrade / FRA · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- Selected HS2 chapters; reporter 251; annual 2025; same partner/flow/coverage as total
UN Comtrade / FRA · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- Official statistics
World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-09-17
- NY.GDP.MKTP.CD; ISO and reference year; no military dataset expansion
World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- Official statistics
World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-06
- SP.POP.TOTL; ISO and reference year; no military dataset expansion
World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
Additional sources on products and human connections
- UN Comtrade / FRA
2026-10-07 · Accessed: 2026-10-07 · Selected HS2 chapters; reporter 251; annual 2025; same partner/flow/coverage as total.