Belgium
Ukraine & Belgium economic dialogue
BE historically runs a major surplus of trade in goods with UA, apart from 2022 and 2024
BE’s firms in UA mainly focus on electrical equipment, wholesale trade, and agriculture
BE’s exports in services to UA almost doubled between 2021 and 2025
UA’s tech firms began expansion into BE
Majority of UA refugees in BE are working age
Centre for Economic Strategy (CES), an independent Ukrainian think tank that analyzes key public policies and promotes support for reforms.
With donor support, CES has launched a series of studies on trade relations between Ukraine and the European Union countries.
Free movements of goods and services
Both pre-war and now, UA mainly exports oilseeds and corn, supporting BE’s agrifood production
52%
Trade in services between BE and UA has expanded by 52% from 2021 to 2024
BE mainly exports agricultural chemistry, polymers and harvesting machinery
This increase was likely driven by the expansion of UA’s IT sector into BE and the relocation of UA citizens to BE
Trade Balance UA-BE 2024
Free movement of persons and capital
Ukrainians in BE with temporary protection status (as of October 2025)
of which arrived in 2022
75% are women and children, ~65% are of working age
Belgium-linked businesses in UA in 2024
Majority are concentrated in most attractive industries, including electrical equipment manufacturing, wholesale trade, and agriculture
BE’s FDI stock in UA, € mln
Tighter co-operation potential
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Deeper cooperation in agriculture is crucial, since Belgium is a major supplier of machinery and chemicals, supporting Ukraine’s agro productivity.
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Ukraine’s future industrial recovery will create demand for high-tech exports from Belgium.
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Both can benefit from diversification and joint R&D in defence, especially at a time of growth of this sector in Belgium.
Interesting fact
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