Belgians are Europe’s richest citizens

12 May 2004

BRUSSELS – The average Belgian has more financial assets and fewer debts than any of his or her European Union counterparts, it was revealed on Wednesday.

According to the EU statistical office Eurostat, Belgian families in 2002 had combined financial assets worth EUR 666 billion.

The figure represents 256 percent of national GDP and makes Belgians the Union’s undisputed fat cats when it comes to comparing assets with GDP.

The average figure for the ‘old’ European Union – the 15 countries that made up the bloc before ten new states joined this month – was 187 percent of GDP.

Next down the list from Belgium were the UK and the Netherlands, which both had an assets/GDP ratio of 247 percent.

[Copyright Expatica 2004]

Subject: Belgian news