The revenue and expenditure of the federal government and social security give rise to numerous transactions in relation to households and businesses. Taxes, social contributions, pensions, health care, etc. Among other things, these flows fulfil objectives concerning solidarity between individuals. Examined from a geographical angle, they imply interregional transfers since the amounts levied and paid out per capita in a given region differ from the national average.

What is the scale of this redistribution between regions, effected via the federal budget? What is the direction of the implicit transfers between Brussels, Flanders and Wallonia? Do they predominantly concern public revenue or public expenditure? What are the demographic and socioeconomic factors determining these flows? Is the Belgian situation an exception at European level? The article answers these questions on the basis of detailed statistics obtained in particular from the regional accounts.