Shipping from the UK to Belgium: what UK sellers need to know

Belgium might not be the first EU country that comes to mind for UK exports, but it punches well above its weight. Brussels is home to EU institutions and a highly international population. Antwerp is one of Europe's busiest ports. And Belgian consumers are among the most digitally savvy in the EU.

If you ship to Belgian customers — or route shipments through Belgium to other EU countries — here's what you need to know.

Belgium's VAT rate

Belgium's standard VAT rate is 21%. Applied to the CIF value of your shipment, this is the main charge Belgian customers face on UK parcels.

For a £160 product with £12 shipping and 0% duty, your Belgian customer faces a VAT bill of around £36 on delivery.

Belgium as a logistics hub

One thing that makes Belgium slightly different from other EU destinations is its role as a distribution hub. Many UK parcels bound for other EU countries transit through Belgian logistics centres — particularly through Liège, which is a major hub for express carriers including DHL and FedEx.

If your parcel is going to Belgium specifically, this is straightforward. If it's going elsewhere in the EU and transiting through Belgium, the customs rules of the final destination apply — not Belgium's.

Import duty

Under the UK-EU TCA, most UK-made goods attract 0% duty when exported to Belgium. Standard consumer goods, handmade products, clothing and homeware typically qualify. Check your commodity code for your specific product category.

Belgium's multilingual complexity

Belgium has three official languages — French, Dutch (Flemish), and German. Customs documentation and carrier communications may come in any of these depending on the region your customer is in. Brussels is officially bilingual (French and Dutch). Flanders is Dutch-speaking. Wallonia is French-speaking.

This doesn't affect the customs charges, but it's worth knowing if you're communicating with Belgian customers about delivery issues — the language of correspondence matters more in Belgium than in most EU countries.

The €150 threshold

As with all EU countries, orders under €150 have VAT typically handled at checkout via platform or IOSS. Above €150, Belgian customs assess VAT and potentially duty on arrival.

A real example

A UK homeware brand ships a set of linen napkins worth £85 and a tablecloth worth £110 to a customer in Brussels. Total order: £195.

What to do

Calculate the full landed cost before shipping to Belgium using ClearShip. Given Belgium's role as an EU logistics hub, getting your customs documentation right is particularly important — errors are more likely to cause delays here than in some other EU countries.