As the spring travel season gets underway, Belgian customs officials are intensifying efforts to remind travellers of the customs duties and taxes now applicable to goods brought into the country from the United Kingdom.
The reminder comes more than four years after Brexit, with authorities noting that compliance remains low despite repeated warnings.
Kristian Vanderwaeren, customs administrator general, emphasized the importance of the rules during a press event at Brussels Midi’s Eurostar facility.
“Shoppers will, of course, quickly reach that amount and must therefore declare their purchases upon their arrival in Brussels,” Vanderwaeren stated, suggesting that the allure of retail therapy could lead many travellers to exceed the declaration thresholds.
Since the UK’s departure from the European Union, goods valued at over €300 brought by train and those worth more than €430 brought by boat or aircraft must be declared upon arrival in Belgium.
This includes any Value Added Tax (VAT) already paid in the UK, making shopping trips across the Channel potentially more expensive than anticipated. Additionally, cash amounts of €10,000 or more also necessitate a declaration.
Low Compliance Rates Spark Concern
Despite the clarity of the regulations, compliance appears to be alarmingly low. At both Brussels Airport and the Eurostar terminal, separate lanes exist for travellers with “something” to declare and those with “nothing” to declare.
However, Vanderwaeren noted with some frustration that travellers “almost always” declare nothing. “We are organising this action to remind people that the regulations for shopping in London are not the same as for Paris,” he said.
Figures from Belgium’s federal fiscal authority, FPS Finance, highlight the issue. In 2024, only 9,000 travellers were checked at Brussels Midi out of the 19.5 million passengers carried by Eurostar, representing a mere 0.05% inspection rate.
Of those checked, just 135 violations were recorded, revealing that only about 1% of inspected travellers had failed to comply with the rules.
Hefty Penalties for Non-Compliance
For those caught failing to declare goods or cash, the consequences can be significant. Detection teams at arrival points, including sniffer dogs, work to identify undeclared items.
Offenders face fines in addition to the standard customs levies, making the cost of non-compliance considerably higher than the duties themselves.
New Travel Authorisation Systems on the Horizon
The press conference also served as a platform to inform travellers about the UK’s new Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) system, set to become mandatory for all EU arrivals, excluding Irish citizens, starting in April 2025.
The online application process for ETA is already live. In response, the European Union is preparing to launch its own Entry Exit System (EES) later this year, which will enhance border controls for non-EU travellers.
As Belgian authorities ramp up efforts to ensure compliance, travellers are urged to familiarize themselves with the post-Brexit rules to avoid unexpected costs and potential fines.
With inspection rates still modest, the reminder aims to preempt a surge in violations as more visitors flow into Belgium this spring.
