Two-way investment brief

Australia–Belgium

At the end of 2025, investors from Belgium held A$3.3 bn of direct investment in Australia, making it Australia’s 27th-largest source of foreign direct investment (0.3% of the total). That stock fell 16.3% over the year and has grown 2.7% a year on average over the past decade. Australian direct investment in Belgium was A$4.0 bn — the 13th-largest destination for Australian direct investment abroad. Direct investment is broadly balanced in both directions. Belgium was Australia’s 24th-largest two-way trading partner in 2025 (goods and services, A$4.7 bn; 0.4% of Australia’s trade). Globally, Belgium was the world’s 36th-largest source of FDI outflows in 2024 ($4.7 bn, World Bank).

Data (CSV)Belgium global profile

Belgium direct investment in Australia

A$3.3 bn

−16.3%vs 202427th largest

Total Belgium investment in Australia

A$438 bn

3rd largest · 8.6%

Australian direct investment in Belgium

A$4.0 bn

13th largest destination

Total Australian investment in Belgium

A$13.5 bn

Levels at 31 Dec 2025

Trend

Direct investment in both directions

Direct investment levels, Australia–Belgium

Belgium in Australia
Australia in Belgium

Source: ABS, International Investment Position, Australia: Supplementary Statistics (5352.0).

Belgium’s investment in Australia by type

Direct investment
Portfolio investment
Other investment

Source: ABS, International Investment Position, Australia: Supplementary Statistics (5352.0).

Annual direct investment flows

Net transactions during the year; negative = net disinvestment

Belgium → Australia
Australia → Belgium

Source: ABS, International Investment Position, Australia: Supplementary Statistics (5352.0).

Trade relationship

Australia–Belgium trade

Investment and trade move together: the partners that invest most in Australia are usually major trading partners too. Goods trade is recorded monthly (latest: July 2026); services annually.

Two-way trade, 2025

A$4.7 bn

24th largest partner · 0.4%

Goods exports to Belgium, 2025

A$2.2 bn

12 months to July 2026: A$2.1 bn

Goods imports from Belgium, 2025

A$2.5 bn

12 months to July 2026: A$2.7 bn

Services trade, 2025

A$0 k

Exports — · imports —

Goods trade

Calendar years, A$ (ABS merchandise trade)

Exports to Belgium
Imports from Belgium

Source: ABS, International Merchandise Trade (MERCH_EXP / MERCH_IMP), summed to calendar years.

Services trade

Calendar years, A$ (ABS international trade in services by country)

Exports to Belgium
Imports from Belgium

Source: ABS, International Trade in Services by Country, calendar years.

Economic outlook

Belgium’s economy

IMF World Economic Outlook	2024	2025	2026forecast	2027forecast	2028forecast
Real GDP growth	1.1%	1.0%	0.7%	1.1%	1.1%
Inflation	4.3%	3.0%	2.8%	2.2%	2.1%
Unemployment rate	5.7%	6.2%	6.2%	6.1%	6.0%
Current account, % GDP	−0.4%	−2.1%	−2.0%	−1.9%	−1.3%
Fiscal balance, % GDP	−4.4%	−5.3%	−5.1%	−5.2%	−5.3%
Government gross debt, % GDP	103.9%	106.3%	109.2%	111.5%	114.2%

Source: IMF World Economic Outlook via the IMF DataMapper API. Years from 2026 are IMF projections; recent years may be estimates and are revised in each WEO round (April and October).

2025 at a glance

New FDI from Belgium: −A$273 m
New Australian FDI in Belgium: —
Direct investment income paid to investors: A$291 m
Direct investment income earned by Australians: —

Belgium globally (World Bank)

FDI outflows, 2024: $4.7 bn · 36th
FDI inflows, 2025: −$28.8 bn
GDP, 2025: $725 bn
Region · income: Europe & Central Asia · High income

Regulatory openness (OECD FDIRRI)

OECD index data loading — see FDI openness

Sources: ABS, International Investment Position, Australia: Supplementary Statistics (cat. 5352.0), 2025 release, released 2026-05-06 — levels at 31 December and calendar-year flows and income, A$ millions, immediate counterparty basis (investment routed via third economies is attributed to the intermediate economy). World Bank WDI (US$). OECD FDI Regulatory Restrictiveness Index. np = not published for confidentiality; included in totalsPrepared independently by FDIstats from public statistics; not an Australian Government publication and not investment advice. For foreign investment rules, see the Treasury and FIRB.