The Belgian government is considering introducing a levy on parcels imported from outside the European Union. The 2 euro fee per parcel would affect Chinese online retailers such as AliExpress, Shein and Temu. The government intends to use the revenue to help reduce the national budget deficit.
The proposal for the new parcel tax comes from the governing party Les Engagés. The measure would apply to parcels worth up to 150 euros and could already take effect next year. It is expected to generate several hundred million euros in revenue, as Belgian customs anticipates receiving around 1.4 billion imported parcels this year.
Reservations
Becom, a trade association for Belgian ecommerce, responded somewhat positively. The federation called it “a first step towards a fairer playing field for Belgian retailers”, pointing to the large proportion of unsafe products entering Europe from China.
‘A first step towards a fairer playing field’
However, Becom considers this a European issue and advocates for a coordinated EU-wide approach. If other countries do not introduce similar levies, the measure risks losing its intended effect or even reducing revenue, said managing director Greet Dekocker. “The speed with which Belgium is tackling this is admirable, but more needs to be done.”
The federation argues that part of the revenue should be reinvested in infrastructure, such as scanning technology, digitally trained staff, and a data pool to better detect offenders.
European initiative
Belgium’s plan is ahead of a similar initiative in Brussels. The European Commission also wants to introduce a fixed 2 euro fee on parcels from outside the EU, to be paid by the platforms. For shipments to a European warehouse, a 0.50 euro fee would apply. Unlike the Belgian proposal, the EU handling fees would primarily be reinvested in enforcing existing regulations. The budget would allow member states to conduct more inspections to combat unsafe products and counterfeits.
Brussels is also working on a 2 euro parcel tax
According to experts, the fee is too low to curb the popularity of Chinese platforms in particular. The EU measure still needs approval from the European Parliament and member states and could take effect in March 2028. At that time, the exemption from import duties – which currently benefits international platforms – would also be abolished; for now, companies outside the EU are not required to pay those duties for shipments valued up to 150 euro.
