Belgium Plans €2 Tax on Every Parcel from China

As we recently wrote, the European Commission officially proposed introducing a €2 handling fee on low-cost e-commerce shipments arriving in the EU. However, Belgium doesn’t want to wait for a joint approach and is preparing its own solution.

Who and How Will Pay

The proposal for the new tax came from the governing party Les Engagés. The 2 euro fee would apply to parcels worth up to 150 euros imported from outside the European Union. In practice, this primarily means shipments from Chinese platforms such as AliExpress, Shein or Temu.

Belgian customs authorities expect around 1.4 billion imported parcels this year. Applying the tax to all shipments would generate revenue of several hundred million euros annually, which would help reduce the state budget deficit.

Retailers Welcome it But Have Reservations

The Belgian e-commerce federation Becom called the proposal “a first step towards a fairer playing field for Belgian retailers”. The association pointed to the high proportion of dangerous products entering Europe from China.

However, managing director Greet Dekocker warned that this is a European issue requiring a coordinated approach. “The speed with which Belgium is tackling this is admirable, but more needs to be done,” Dekocker said. According to her, if other countries don’t introduce similar measures, it could lead to a shift of purchases through other member states and thus reduce revenue.

Becom also demands that part of the tax revenue should flow back into infrastructure – for scanning technology, digitally trained staff and databases for better detection of offenders.

European Union Preparing its Own Solution

The European Commission is working on a similar initiative that should take effect in March 2028. There too, a fee of 2 euros per parcel from countries outside the EU is being considered, with the fee dropping to 0.50 euros for shipments to European warehouses.

Unlike the Belgian proposal, the EU fees would primarily be reinvested in enforcing existing regulations. The budget should enable member states to conduct more inspections aimed at combating dangerous products and counterfeits.

In 2028, the exemption from import duties, which currently applies to shipments worth up to 150 euros, should also be abolished. It is precisely this exception that gives platforms outside the EU a significant competitive advantage.

However, experts doubt that a 2 euro fee will significantly curb the popularity of Chinese platforms.

With product prices on these platforms often ranging in just a few euros, the additional fee may represent only a marginal increase.

The European measure still needs approval from the European Parliament and member states. However, Belgium shows that some countries are ready to act independently if European institutions don’t move fast enough.