Parcel tax in Belgium: how a new fiscal barrier will hit the wallets of Ukrainian refugees
European financial policy is undergoing significant transformations due to the rapid growth of international e-commerce, forcing national governments to introduce additional mechanisms to protect the internal market. The updated fiscal rules create a significant burden on consumers, a significant part of whom are vulnerable categories of the population, in particular thousands of Ukrainian refugees who have found refuge in Belgium and are forced to strictly control their daily expenses. The efforts of European regulators to block the channels of entry of cheap products from third countries lead to an increase in the cost of ordinary parcels, which directly affects the standard of living of people integrating into the new economic environment.
Mechanism of action and essence of fiscal innovation
From July 1, 2026, Belgium will introduce a fixed tax of 3 euros on imported postal items, the value of which does not exceed 150 euros. The innovation concerns goods coming from outside the European Union and provides for the calculation of a fiscal fee for each individual unit of product in accordance with its customs code.
The head of the customs service of Liege airport, Jamil Soltani, explained the specifics of the administration of this rule with a specific example, noting that in the case of ordering eight different items in one box, the total amount of the additional fee will reach 24 euros. This approach can lead to situations where the amount of accompanying tax payments will be higher than the actual market value of the entire contents of the parcel.
The main factor in adopting this decision was the desire of European manufacturers and fiscal authorities to stop the expansion of large Chinese trading platforms, which fill the European space with cheap products by using legislative loopholes and evading value added tax.
Current statistics indicate a critical overload of logistics hubs, as this year alone, more than 5.05 million customs declarations are processed daily through Liege airport. This figure has increased by 67% compared to the same period last year, which deprives customs officers of the technical ability to carry out thorough control and paves the way for understating the real value of cargo, importing counterfeit goods and smuggling.
The introduced fiscal instrument is a temporary solution of the Belgian government, designed to stabilize the situation until 2028, when comprehensive customs changes are expected to be implemented at the European level. The spokeswoman for the Belgian Ministry of Finance, Florence Angelici, confirmed that this initiative is part of a larger EU strategy to create a level playing field for all market participants. The new rules will lead to additional savings and force many buyers in the country to reconsider their consumer habits.
The impact of customs changes on the daily life of Ukrainian refugees
For thousands of Ukrainian citizens who have temporary protection status in Belgium, cheap foreign Internet platforms have long remained an opportunity to significantly save money while settling in a new place. Given the limited amount of social benefits and significant housing rental costs, refugees often ordered inexpensive clothes, children’s things, small electronics and basic necessities on Asian platforms.
The piece fee of 3 euros for each item completely eliminates the financial benefit of such purchases, since ordering several small items will now be accompanied by a significant overpayment. The new tax reality will force Ukrainian families to abandon the usual way of purchasing budget goods and look for alternative, often more expensive options within the Belgian retail market, which will create additional pressure on their already limited family budgets.
