Belgium’s new €3 levy on low-value e-commerce parcels reduced small-parcel arrivals at Liège Airport by 53% in July versus a year earlier, customs data show. The measure, introduced on 1 July and applied to consignments worth up to €150 from outside the European Union, is already reshaping cargo flows through one of Europe’s key gateways for Chinese and wider Asian e-commerce shipments.
Larger consolidated shipments increased over the same period, suggesting parcel networks, logistics providers and retailers are responding by bundling goods into bigger loads. Belgium has collected about €223.7 million from the levy in its first seven weeks, reflecting the fiscal and enforcement aims behind the policy.
The charge is due to remain in place until July 2028. While the figures point to a sharp fall in low-value traffic, they do not capture total cargo volumes at the airport, where overall tonnage may have risen even as parcel numbers declined.