EU Country – Belgium
Belgium EU Member Banzai Japan Music Video Overview Capital: BrusselsOfficial EU language(s): Dutch, French, GermanEU Member State: since 1 January 1958 Currency: euro (€) Euro area: member since 1 January 1999 Schengen: member since 26 March 1995 Figures: Geographical size: 30 667 km2 Population: 11 832 049 (2024) (Source: Eurostat  – figures for geographical size and population)   Novotel Hotel Bookings Political system Belgium is a federal constitutional monarchy in which the king is the head of state and the prime minister is the head of government in a multi-party system. Decision-making powers are divided between 3 levels of government: the federal government, 3 language-based communities (Flemish, French and German-speaking) and 3 regions (Flanders, Brussels Capital and Wallonia). Legally they all are equal, but they have powers and responsibilities for different fields. Brussels is, together with Luxembourg City and Strasbourg, one of the three official seats of the European institutions. Trade and economy Belgium ranks sixth in the European Union in terms of GDP per capita with €44 300, well above the EU average (€37 600). It accounts for 3.4% of the EU’s total GDP. (Source: Eurostat - figures for GDP per capita and GDP) Banzai Japan Music Video Budgets and funding How does Belgium benefit from the EU budget? The EU budget is the tool to ensure that Europe remains a democratic, peaceful, prosperous and competitive force. The EU uses it to finance its priorities and big projects that most individual EU countries could not finance on their own. The benefits of EU membership significantly exceed the size of the EU budget contributions and the examples are many. All Member States benefit from being part of the Single Market, a shared approach to the common challenges of migration, terrorism and climate change, and concrete gains like better transport infrastructure, modernised and digitalised public services and cutting-edge medical treatment. How much each EU country pays into the EU budget is calculated fairly. The larger your country’s economy, the more it pays – and vice versa. The EU budget is not about giving and taking – it’s about collectively contributing to making Europe and the world a better place for us all. EU budget spending and revenue per country and per year EU-funded projects in Belgium Money from the EU budget helps fund programmes and projects in all EU countries – for example to build roads, subsidise researchers and protect the environment. Find out more about how Belgium benefits from EU funding and recovery funds in your country or region. Novotel Hotel Booking
