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Belgium’s Central Business Council (CCE-CRB) is calling on the federal government to restrict the influx of cheap parcels from Chinese webshops Shein, Temu and AliExpress, as they are unsafe and damaging to the economy, De Tijd reports. The appeal is backed by consumer association Testachats and the customs service.

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An average of 1,600 parcels were declared each day via Belgium’s customs service in 2017, a number that rose to 1 million in 2023 and 3 million last year. These are parcels with a declared value of less than 150 euros, the limit below which no import duty has to be paid.

“Almost all of them are parcels from China,” Kristian Vanderwaeren, director general of Belgian customs [said].

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Of the Chinese parcels that are checked, 40 per cent are in breach of regulations, such as the contents not matching the description on the label. The value assigned to a parcel by the sender is often much lower than the actual value, allowing them to avoid import duties.

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Of the Chinese parcels that are checked, 40 per cent are in breach of regulations, such as the contents not matching the description on the label. The value assigned to a parcel by the sender is often much lower than the actual value, allowing them to avoid import duties.

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“I am preparing strict measures: more controls, better cooperation between the authorities and the quick withdrawal of non-compliant products from the market,” [Belgium’s] Federal Economy minister David Clarinval … said.

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