Government expenditure and consumption; functions, transactions, sectors

Government expenditure and consumption; functions, transactions, sectors

Transactions Functions of general government Institutional sectors Periods Government expenditure and consumption (million euros)
Total government expenditure 5. Environmental protection General government 2024* 17,941
Total government expenditure 5. Environmental protection Central government 2024* 5,216
Total government expenditure 5. Environmental protection The State 2024* 4,654
Total government expenditure 5. Environmental protection Other central government 2024* 781
Total government expenditure 5. Environmental protection Local government 2024* 15,491
Total government expenditure 5. Environmental protection Social security funds 2024* 0
Total government expenditure 5.3 Pollution abatement General government 2024* 3,689
Total government expenditure 5.3 Pollution abatement Central government 2024* 3,355
Total government expenditure 5.3 Pollution abatement The State 2024* 3,514
Total government expenditure 5.3 Pollution abatement Other central government 2024* 0
Total government expenditure 5.3 Pollution abatement Local government 2024* 2,899
Total government expenditure 5.3 Pollution abatement Social security funds 2024* 0
Total government expenditure 5.5 R&D Environmental protection General government 2024* 364
Total government expenditure 5.5 R&D Environmental protection Central government 2024* 317
Total government expenditure 5.5 R&D Environmental protection The State 2024* 99
Total government expenditure 5.5 R&D Environmental protection Other central government 2024* 220
Total government expenditure 5.5 R&D Environmental protection Local government 2024* 47
Total government expenditure 5.5 R&D Environmental protection Social security funds 2024* 0
Total government expenditure 5.6 Environmental protection n.e.c. General government 2024* 279
Total government expenditure 5.6 Environmental protection n.e.c. Central government 2024* 348
Total government expenditure 5.6 Environmental protection n.e.c. The State 2024* 348
Total government expenditure 5.6 Environmental protection n.e.c. Other central government 2024* 0
Total government expenditure 5.6 Environmental protection n.e.c. Local government 2024* 0
Total government expenditure 5.6 Environmental protection n.e.c. Social security funds 2024* 0
P2 Intermediate consumption 5. Environmental protection General government 2024* 7,819
P2 Intermediate consumption 5. Environmental protection Central government 2024* 569
P2 Intermediate consumption 5. Environmental protection The State 2024* 316
P2 Intermediate consumption 5. Environmental protection Other central government 2024* 253
P2 Intermediate consumption 5. Environmental protection Local government 2024* 7,250
P2 Intermediate consumption 5. Environmental protection Social security funds 2024* 0
P2 Intermediate consumption 5.3 Pollution abatement General government 2024* 1,369
P2 Intermediate consumption 5.3 Pollution abatement Central government 2024* 62
P2 Intermediate consumption 5.3 Pollution abatement The State 2024* 62
P2 Intermediate consumption 5.3 Pollution abatement Other central government 2024* 0
P2 Intermediate consumption 5.3 Pollution abatement Local government 2024* 1,307
P2 Intermediate consumption 5.3 Pollution abatement Social security funds 2024* 0
P2 Intermediate consumption 5.5 R&D Environmental protection General government 2024* 96
P2 Intermediate consumption 5.5 R&D Environmental protection Central government 2024* 90
P2 Intermediate consumption 5.5 R&D Environmental protection The State 2024* 43
P2 Intermediate consumption 5.5 R&D Environmental protection Other central government 2024* 47
P2 Intermediate consumption 5.5 R&D Environmental protection Local government 2024* 6
P2 Intermediate consumption 5.5 R&D Environmental protection Social security funds 2024* 0
P2 Intermediate consumption 5.6 Environmental protection n.e.c. General government 2024* 175
P2 Intermediate consumption 5.6 Environmental protection n.e.c. Central government 2024* 175
P2 Intermediate consumption 5.6 Environmental protection n.e.c. The State 2024* 175
P2 Intermediate consumption 5.6 Environmental protection n.e.c. Other central government 2024* 0
P2 Intermediate consumption 5.6 Environmental protection n.e.c. Local government 2024* 0
P2 Intermediate consumption 5.6 Environmental protection n.e.c. Social security funds 2024* 0
D1 Compensation of employees 5. Environmental protection General government 2024* 4,232
D1 Compensation of employees 5. Environmental protection Central government 2024* 499
D1 Compensation of employees 5. Environmental protection The State 2024* 178
D1 Compensation of employees 5. Environmental protection Other central government 2024* 321
D1 Compensation of employees 5. Environmental protection Local government 2024* 3,733
D1 Compensation of employees 5. Environmental protection Social security funds 2024* 0
D1 Compensation of employees 5.3 Pollution abatement General government 2024* 1,133
D1 Compensation of employees 5.3 Pollution abatement Central government 2024* 11
D1 Compensation of employees 5.3 Pollution abatement The State 2024* 11
D1 Compensation of employees 5.3 Pollution abatement Other central government 2024* 0
D1 Compensation of employees 5.3 Pollution abatement Local government 2024* 1,122
D1 Compensation of employees 5.3 Pollution abatement Social security funds 2024* 0
D1 Compensation of employees 5.5 R&D Environmental protection General government 2024* 101
D1 Compensation of employees 5.5 R&D Environmental protection Central government 2024* 93
D1 Compensation of employees 5.5 R&D Environmental protection The State 2024* 24
D1 Compensation of employees 5.5 R&D Environmental protection Other central government 2024* 69
D1 Compensation of employees 5.5 R&D Environmental protection Local government 2024* 8
D1 Compensation of employees 5.5 R&D Environmental protection Social security funds 2024* 0
D1 Compensation of employees 5.6 Environmental protection n.e.c. General government 2024* 95
D1 Compensation of employees 5.6 Environmental protection n.e.c. Central government 2024* 95
D1 Compensation of employees 5.6 Environmental protection n.e.c. The State 2024* 95
D1 Compensation of employees 5.6 Environmental protection n.e.c. Other central government 2024* 0
D1 Compensation of employees 5.6 Environmental protection n.e.c. Local government 2024* 0
D1 Compensation of employees 5.6 Environmental protection n.e.c. Social security funds 2024* 0
D41 Interest; definition National Acco.. 5. Environmental protection General government 2024*
D41 Interest; definition National Acco.. 5. Environmental protection Central government 2024*
D41 Interest; definition National Acco.. 5. Environmental protection The State 2024*
D41 Interest; definition National Acco.. 5. Environmental protection Other central government 2024*
D41 Interest; definition National Acco.. 5. Environmental protection Local government 2024*
D41 Interest; definition National Acco.. 5. Environmental protection Social security funds 2024*
D41 Interest; definition National Acco.. 5.3 Pollution abatement General government 2024*
D41 Interest; definition National Acco.. 5.3 Pollution abatement Central government 2024*
D41 Interest; definition National Acco.. 5.3 Pollution abatement The State 2024*
D41 Interest; definition National Acco.. 5.3 Pollution abatement Other central government 2024*
D41 Interest; definition National Acco.. 5.3 Pollution abatement Local government 2024*
D41 Interest; definition National Acco.. 5.3 Pollution abatement Social security funds 2024*
D41 Interest; definition National Acco.. 5.5 R&D Environmental protection General government 2024*
D41 Interest; definition National Acco.. 5.5 R&D Environmental protection Central government 2024*
D41 Interest; definition National Acco.. 5.5 R&D Environmental protection The State 2024*
D41 Interest; definition National Acco.. 5.5 R&D Environmental protection Other central government 2024*
D41 Interest; definition National Acco.. 5.5 R&D Environmental protection Local government 2024*
D41 Interest; definition National Acco.. 5.5 R&D Environmental protection Social security funds 2024*
D41 Interest; definition National Acco.. 5.6 Environmental protection n.e.c. General government 2024*
D41 Interest; definition National Acco.. 5.6 Environmental protection n.e.c. Central government 2024*
D41 Interest; definition National Acco.. 5.6 Environmental protection n.e.c. The State 2024*
D41 Interest; definition National Acco.. 5.6 Environmental protection n.e.c. Other central government 2024*
D41 Interest; definition National Acco.. 5.6 Environmental protection n.e.c. Local government 2024*
D41 Interest; definition National Acco.. 5.6 Environmental protection n.e.c. Social security funds 2024*
D62+D632 Social benefits and social tr.. 5. Environmental protection General government 2024*
D62+D632 Social benefits and social tr.. 5. Environmental protection Central government 2024*
D62+D632 Social benefits and social tr.. 5. Environmental protection The State 2024*
D62+D632 Social benefits and social tr.. 5. Environmental protection Other central government 2024*
Source: CBS.
Explanation of symbols

Table explanation


This table contains information on expenditure and consumption broken down into functions of the general government sector. The terms and definitions used are in accordance with the framework of National Accounts. National Accounts are based on the international definitions of the European System of Accounts (ESA 2010). The Classification of the Functions of Government (COFOG 1999) is used for the classification of the functions. The second level function determines whether consumption of government is collective or individual. Small temporary differences with publications of National Accounts may occur due to the fact that government finance statistics are sometimes more up to date.

Data available from:
Yearly figures from 1995.

Status of the figures:
The figures for the period 1995-2023 are final. The figures for 2024 are provisional.

Changes as of 18 November 2025:
The annual figures for 2023 are now final due to updated source data.

In the context of the revision policy of National accounts, annual figures for the time series have been revised. This has led to the following improvements for transaction D62 Social benefits:
- A correction has been made to the figures for 2022 for the Work and Care Act (WAZO) benefits related to the expanded partner leave.
- The function of the Work and Care Act (WAZO) scheme has changed from 10.1 (Sickness and disability) to 10.4 (Family and children) for years 2002-2024.
- The function of the cross-border health care covered by both the Compulsory Health Insurance Act (ZFW-vp) and the Health Care Insurance Act (Zvw) has changed from 7.2 (Outpatient services) to 7.3 (Hospital services) for years 1995-2024.
- Most of the social benefits paid out by the Supplementary Fund (Tf) are now recorded within function 10.1 (Sickness and disability), instead of function 10.5 (Unemployment) for years 1995-2024.
- The assistance to older and partially disabled unemployed via the IOAW- and IOAZ- schemes at the level of local government has changed from function 10.7 (Social exclusion n.e.c.) to 10.5 (Unemployment) for years 1995-2024.

When will new figures be published?
New figures will be published in the second half of the year. Provisional figures will become final and final figures can be revised at the same time. More information on the revision policy of National Accounts can be found under 'relevant articles' under paragraph 3.

Description topics

Government expenditure and consumption
Government expenditure and final consumption expenditure.

Government expenditure consists of intermediate consumption, compensation of employees, interest, social benefits, social transfers in kind via market producers, paid subsidies, other current expenditure and capital expenditure.

Government final consumption expenditure is equal to the the total of their output plus the expenditure on products supplied to households via market producers minus the sales of goods and services. The output of government is equal to the sum of its costs of production: Compensation of employees, intermediate consumption, consumption of fixed capital, and taxes on production paid net of subsidies on production received.