As many in the country prepare to depart on their summer holidays, Belgian customs authorities advise passengers to review what they can and cannot bring with them when flying.
During a press briefing on Monday, customs officers warned that passengers' bags may be checked both on departure and on arrival in Belgium.
When returning to Belgium, some products are exempt from import duties and taxes depending on the country of origin. Those returning from an EU Member State, in principle, can bring back unlimited goods for personal.
However, this does not apply to excise goods such as tobacco and alcohol. which are the two products for which the customs laws are regularly broken.
Cigarettes & wine
In regards to tobacco, the limits include a maximum of 800 cigarettes, a maximum of 1kg of loose tobacco, a maximum of 200 cigars, and a maximum of 200 cigarillos.
For alcohol, there is a 10-litre limit for spirits such as whiskey. For beer, it is 110 litres, and for wine 90 litres, of which up to 60 litres may be sparkling.
Press moment by the Belgian customs about what can be taken in suitcases when travelling. Credit: Belga/Wout Renders
If these limits are surpassed, customs authorities may deem that the products are being imported for commercial purposes, meaning they can be subject to excise duty.
Those returning to Belgium from a non-EU country will face different limits. For tobacco, the limit includes a maximum of 200 cigarettes, a maximum of 250g of loose tobacco, a maximum of 50 cigars, and a limit of 100 cigarillos. For alcohol, non-sparkling wine is limited to 4 litres while beer is limited to 16 litres.
If the amounts are exceeded, this must be declared to customs, or passengers risk being fined.
Smuggling protected species
Following recent stories of attempts to smuggle rare insects, the customs officers warned that authorities actively check if passengers attempt to transport protect animals and plant species.
In the event of an infringement, a report is drawn and passed over to the Federal Agency for the Safety of the Food Chain (FASFC).
Suitcases at Brussels Airport. Credit: Belga/James Arthur Gekiere
"Anyone travelling with pets must also obtain detailed information about the applicable conditions from the FASFC," the customs authorities stated in a press release.
Food and cash rules
When returning from a non-EU country, passengers are not allowed to bring milk, meat or dairy products. However, there can be exceptions for baby food, animal feed or food required for medical purposes.
Fishery products, animal products, fruit, vegetables, and flowers are subject to restrictions, the customs officers noted.
Bagage reclaim at Brussels Airport. Credit: Belga/James Arthur Gakiere
Those travelling with €10,000 in cash or over must spontaneously declare this when entering or leaving the EU. When travelling within the EU, these amounts must be declared when a passenger is checked by customs. The term "cash" includes not only coins and bank notes, but also letters of credit or traveller's cheques.
If there is a suspicion of money laundering, the case will be referred to the Belgian police.
More detailed information can be found online on the Ministry of Finance's website.
