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The twenty imports Belgium is best placed to replace.

Belgium imported USD 310bn of manufactured goods in 2024 and exported USD 280bn. These are the twenty that sit closest to what it already makes well, with how concentrated the supply of each is.

USD 13bnthe twenty, imported in 2024
108products imported at scale, not yet exported well, and close to existing strengths
1492products Belgium already exports well
1,517public purchases of goods joined to a product family, from Tenders Electronic Daily (EU)
The twenty

Demand, capability, exposure. Nothing else is claimed.

Each line shows the import bill, where it comes from, the nearest thing Belgium already exports well, and how many countries make it. It does not say whether a plant in Belgium would pay. That reason is not in any trade record, and it is the maker's question.

This edition carries public buyers from Tenders Electronic Daily (EU), 6,353 award notices from 2025-11-03 to 2026-11-02, joined to each product's customs heading through a crosswalk we authored. The buyers are shown as context and do not change the score, because award values in these records include framework ceilings and outliers that would distort it. The regional layer (where the capability sits) is built only where a country publishes regional trade by product, and Belgium does not publish it in a form this record can read yet.

  1. 1

    Odoriferous substances and mixtures: of a kind used in the food or drink industriesHS 330210

    Comes fromIreland 65%, 65 source countries
    Nearest export strengthPharmaceutical goods: opacifying preparations for x-ray... (exports USD 73m)
    Exports of this lineUSD 171m; 1 more line in the heading, USD 86m
    Public buyers in the familynone matched to this product family

    Score 6 of 8: import bill USD 385m, top 7 per cent of candidates (3); proximity to Belgium's export strengths in the top 34 per cent (1); Ireland supplies 65 per cent (2).

    USD 385mup 54% on 2022
  2. 2

    Engines: reciprocating piston engines, of a kind used for the propulsion of vehicles of chapter 87, of a cylinder...HS 840734

    Comes fromSweden 92%, 37 source countries
    Nearest export strengthnone named
    Exports of this lineUSD 17m; 1 more line in the heading, USD 52m
    Public buyers in the familynone matched to this product family

    Score 6 of 8: import bill USD 346m, top 7 per cent of candidates (3); proximity to Belgium's export strengths in the top 48 per cent (1); Sweden supplies 92 per cent (2).

    USD 346mup 19% on 2022
  3. 3

    Cocoa: butter, fat and oilHS 180400

    Comes fromNetherlands 56%, 30 source countries
    Nearest export strengthCocoa: paste, not defatted (exports USD 199m)
    Exports of this lineUSD 83m
    Public buyers in the familynone matched to this product family

    Score 5 of 8: import bill USD 1.5bn, top 1 per cent of candidates (3); proximity to Belgium's export strengths in the top 38 per cent (1); Netherlands supplies 56 per cent (1).

    USD 1.5bnup 193% on 2022
  4. 4

    Ammonia: anhydrousHS 281410

    Comes fromRussia 42%, 16 source countries
    Nearest export strengthAlcohols: saturated monohydric, methanol (methyl alcohol) (exports USD 310m)
    Exports of this lineUSD 51m
    Public buyers in the familynone matched to this product family

    Score 5 of 8: import bill USD 392m, top 7 per cent of candidates (3); proximity to Belgium's export strengths in the top 48 per cent (1); Russia supplies 42 per cent (1).

    USD 392mdown 62% on 2022
  5. 5

    Iron or non-alloy steel: bars and rods, hot-rolled, hot-drawn or hot-extruded, containing indentations, ribs, grooves...HS 721420

    Comes fromFrance 64%, 18 source countries
    Nearest export strengthnone named
    Exports of this lineUSD 52m; 3 more lines in the heading, USD 151m
    Public buyers in the familynone matched to this product family

    Score 5 of 8: import bill USD 202m, top 14 per cent of candidates (2); proximity to Belgium's export strengths in the top 43 per cent (1); France supplies 64 per cent (2).

    USD 202mdown 31% on 2022
  6. 6

    Turbines: gas-turbines (excluding turbo-jets and turbo-propellers), of a power exceeding 5000kWHS 841182

    Comes fromFrance 72%, 8 source countries
    Nearest export strengthMachines for additive manufacturing: parts (exports USD 21m)
    Exports of this lineUSD 19m; 5 more lines in the heading, USD 1.2bn
    Public buyers in the familynone matched to this product family

    Score 5 of 8: import bill USD 185m, top 16 per cent of candidates (2); proximity to Belgium's export strengths in the top 43 per cent (1); France supplies 72 per cent (2).

    USD 185mup 383% on 2022
  7. 7

    Boilers: central heating boilers (excluding those of heading no. 8402)HS 840310

    Comes fromGermany 67%, 31 source countries
    Nearest export strengthHeat pumps: other than air conditioning machines of heading no. 8415 (exports USD 82m)
    Exports of this lineUSD 20m; 1 more line in the heading, USD 45m
    Public buyers in the family1 award from 1 buyer. Most frequent: HUmani SC

    Score 5 of 8: import bill USD 161m, top 17 per cent of candidates (2); proximity to Belgium's export strengths in the top 38 per cent (1); Germany supplies 67 per cent (2).

    USD 161mdown 29% on 2022
  8. 8

    Food preparations: of flour, meal, starch, malt extract or milk products, suitable for infants or young children, put...HS 190110

    Comes fromFrance 71%, 32 source countries
    Nearest export strengthnone named
    Exports of this lineUSD 37m
    Public buyers in the familynone matched to this product family

    Score 5 of 8: import bill USD 156m, top 18 per cent of candidates (2); proximity to Belgium's export strengths in the top 33 per cent (1); France supplies 71 per cent (2).

    USD 156mup 179% on 2022
  9. 9

    Vehicles: with both compression-ignition internal combustion piston engine (diesel or semi-diesel) and electric motor...HS 870370

    Comes fromNetherlands 63%, 16 source countries
    Nearest export strengthVehicles: with only spark-ignition internal combustion reciprocating... (exports USD 5.3bn)
    Exports of this lineUSD 44m; 3 more lines in the heading, USD 6.6bn
    Public buyers in the family47 awards from 40 buyers. Most frequent: IOK Afvalbeheer

    Score 5 of 8: import bill USD 140m, top 20 per cent of candidates (2); proximity to Belgium's export strengths in the top 35 per cent (1); Netherlands supplies 63 per cent (2).

    USD 140mdown 51% on 2022
  10. 10

    Engines: reaction engines, other than turbo-jetsHS 841210

    Comes fromSaudi Arabia 99%, 13 source countries
    Nearest export strengthnone named
    Exports of this lineUSD 183k; 4 more lines in the heading, USD 371m
    Public buyers in the familynone matched to this product family

    Score 5 of 8: import bill USD 133m, top 21 per cent of candidates (2); proximity to Belgium's export strengths in the top 26 per cent (1); Saudi Arabia supplies 99 per cent (2).

    USD 133mfrom USD 3m in 2022
  11. 11

    Blood, human or animal, antisera, other blood fractions and immunological products: immunological products, mixed, put...HS 300214

    Comes fromIreland 23%, 24 source countries
    Nearest export strengthnone named
    Exports of this lineUSD 432m; 2 more lines in the heading, USD 1.8bn
    Public buyers in the family18 awards from 11 buyers. Most frequent: Cliniques universitaires Saint Luc

    Score 4 of 8: import bill USD 2.3bn, top 1 per cent of candidates (3); proximity to Belgium's export strengths in the top 40 per cent (1).

    USD 2.3bndown 17% on 2022
  12. 12

    Vehicles: parts and accessories, of bodies, other than safety seat beltsHS 870829

    Comes fromSweden 20%, 87 source countries
    Nearest export strengthVehicle parts and accessories: n.e.c. in heading no. 8708 (exports USD 1.7bn)
    Exports of this lineUSD 806m; 10 more lines in the heading, USD 3.2bn
    Public buyers in the family8 awards from 8 buyers. Most frequent: Police Fédérale

    Score 4 of 8: import bill USD 1.9bn, top 1 per cent of candidates (3); proximity to Belgium's export strengths in the top 39 per cent (1).

    USD 1.9bndown 9% on 2022
  13. 13

    Boards, panels, consoles, desks and other bases: for electric control or the distribution of electricity, (other than...HS 853710

    Comes fromGermany 31%, 102 source countries
    Nearest export strengthLighting or signalling equipment: electrical, (excluding articles of... (exports USD 292m)
    Exports of this lineUSD 409m; 1 more line in the heading, USD 119m
    Public buyers in the family24 awards from 20 buyers. Most frequent: Infrabel sa

    Score 4 of 8: import bill USD 810m, top 3 per cent of candidates (3); proximity to Belgium's export strengths in the top 38 per cent (1).

    USD 810mup 3% on 2022
  14. 14

    Iron or steel: articles n.e.c. in heading 7326HS 732690

    Comes fromNetherlands 16%, 117 source countries
    Nearest export strengthnone named
    Exports of this lineUSD 434m; 1 more line in the heading, USD 53m
    Public buyers in the family1 award from 1 buyer. Most frequent: Sncb

    Score 4 of 8: import bill USD 776m, top 3 per cent of candidates (3); proximity to Belgium's export strengths in the top 40 per cent (1).

    USD 776mdown 8% on 2022
  15. 15

    Reagents: diagnostic or laboratory reagents on a backing, prepared diagnostic or laboratory reagents whether or not on...HS 382219

    Comes fromUnited States 27%, 72 source countries
    Nearest export strengthEnzymes and prepared enzymes: other than rennet and concentrates... (exports USD 291m)
    Exports of this lineUSD 492m; 1 more line in the heading, USD 38m
    Public buyers in the family62 awards from 30 buyers. Most frequent: VITAZ vzw

    Score 4 of 8: import bill USD 712m, top 3 per cent of candidates (3); proximity to Belgium's export strengths in the top 34 per cent (1).

    USD 712mup 2% on 2022
  16. 16

    Dog or cat food: put up for retail sale, used in animal feedingHS 230910

    Comes fromNetherlands 29%, 45 source countries
    Nearest export strengthnone named
    Exports of this lineUSD 300m
    Public buyers in the familynone matched to this product family

    Score 4 of 8: import bill USD 698m, top 3 per cent of candidates (3); proximity to Belgium's export strengths in the top 28 per cent (1).

    USD 698mup 28% on 2022
  17. 17

    Glass: carboys, bottles, flasks, jars, pots, phials and other containers of glass, (not ampoules), used for the...HS 701090

    Comes fromNetherlands 31%, 57 source countries
    Nearest export strengthnone named
    Exports of this lineUSD 214m
    Public buyers in the familynone matched to this product family

    Score 4 of 8: import bill USD 596m, top 4 per cent of candidates (3); proximity to Belgium's export strengths in the top 45 per cent (1).

    USD 596mup 4% on 2022
  18. 18

    Perfumes and toilet watersHS 330300

    Comes fromFrance 26%, 85 source countries
    Nearest export strengthCosmetic and toilet preparations: eye make-up (exports USD 118m)
    Exports of this lineUSD 423m
    Public buyers in the familynone matched to this product family

    Score 4 of 8: import bill USD 580m, top 4 per cent of candidates (3); proximity to Belgium's export strengths in the top 39 per cent (1).

    USD 580mup 10% on 2022
  19. 19

    Engines: parts for internal combustion piston engines (excluding spark-ignition)HS 840999

    Comes fromNetherlands 17%, 113 source countries
    Nearest export strengthnone named
    Exports of this lineUSD 418m; 2 more lines in the heading, USD 172m
    Public buyers in the family8 awards from 8 buyers. Most frequent: Police Fédérale

    Score 4 of 8: import bill USD 572m, top 4 per cent of candidates (3); proximity to Belgium's export strengths in the top 40 per cent (1).

    USD 572mup 5% on 2022
  20. 20

    Insulated electric conductors: for a voltage not exceeding 1000 volts, not fitted with connectorsHS 854449

    Comes fromItaly 31%, 79 source countries
    Nearest export strengthnone named
    Exports of this lineUSD 358m; 5 more lines in the heading, USD 1.3bn
    Public buyers in the family4 awards from 4 buyers. Most frequent: Sibelga

    Score 4 of 8: import bill USD 483m, top 5 per cent of candidates (3); proximity to Belgium's export strengths in the top 46 per cent (1).

    USD 483mdown 10% on 2022

The bill and its path, the sources and their unit values, who exports the line well, the nearest strengths, the public buyers where a country publishes them, and the method. We reply by email. Privacy

One line per customs heading. Products Belgium already exports well and still imports are below, because they are a different conversation. No employment figures appear on this page, by decision.

Made here already, still imported

Scale conversations, not capability ones.

  • Vehicles: with both spark-ignition internal combustion piston engine and... imports USD 7.9bn, exports USD 3.4bn, top source France 27%
  • Medicaments: containing hormones (excluding insulin), (but not containing... imports USD 2.8bn, exports USD 66m, top source Ireland 100%
  • Vehicles: with only electric motor for propulsion imports USD 8.9bn, exports USD 6.4bn, top source Germany 40%
  • Vehicles: with both spark-ignition internal combustion piston engine and... imports USD 3.5bn, exports USD 1.2bn, top source Germany 26%
  • Acyclic hydrocarbons: unsaturated, ethylene imports USD 1.5bn, exports USD 221m, top source Netherlands 33%
  • Medical, surgical or dental instruments and appliances: n.e.c. in heading no.... imports USD 2.5bn, exports USD 1.3bn, top source Mexico 26%
  • Medical, surgical instruments and appliances: catheters, cannulae and the like imports USD 1.8bn, exports USD 739m, top source United States 32%
  • Heterocyclic compounds: lactams: other than 6-hexanelactam (epsilon... imports USD 1.1bn, exports USD 448m, top source France 39%
  • Cyclic hydrocarbons: benzene imports USD 817m, exports USD 302m, top source Netherlands 54%
  • Mechanical shovels, excavators and shovel loaders: with a 360 degree revolving... imports USD 1.3bn, exports USD 792m, top source China 33%
How the twenty were chosen

Three scores, each from a field the record carries.

Import bill, 0 to 3, by percentile among the 2062 lines imported at USD 10m or more: above the median one point, top quarter two, top tenth three.

Proximity to export strengths, 0 to 3, on the same percentiles: the product-space method (Hidalgo, Klinger, Barabasi and Hausmann, Science 2007) on CEPII's BACI file of every bilateral trade flow for 2024, 157 countries and 5,388 products. Two products are close when the countries that export one well tend to export the other well. Only products in the upper half for proximity can enter the list at all: best placed is a proximity claim.

Supply concentration, 0 to 2: one point when a single country supplies 40 per cent or more, two at 60 per cent.

Public buyers, context only, never scored: 6,353 award notices from Tenders Electronic Daily (EU), 2025-11-03 to 2026-11-02, of which 2,280 were classified by the buyer as goods and 1,517 joined to a product family through a crosswalk we authored, because no official one exists. Only notices whose code names a specific product group are joined; broad division codes are left out. The join is a family, not an exact line, and the counts are a floor.

Scope. Manufactured goods, customs chapters 16 to 96, excluding ores, fuels and precious metals. Primary agriculture is out of scope for a page about manufacture.

What it cannot tell you

A map of where to look.

Trade data says what crossed the border, not why. Cost, scale, patents, tariffs and the plain fact that a supplier is good at it are all invisible here. The world file reconciles what each pair of countries reports, so a national customs file would differ in detail. Nothing on this page is a forecast or a promise.

Source: CEPII BACI, HS22, version 202601, years 2022 to 2024. Edition of 2026-11-03. The UK edition with its procurement and regional layers is at /made-here/.

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