The Belgian city of Liège has been nominated to host the future European Customs Authority by GRE-Liège, with approval from both the federal government and the Walloon Region.
The European Customs Authority, announced in 2023, aims to streamline administrative processes, improve the safety of online shopping for EU citizens, and simplify operations for national customs administrations.
Several cities across Europe are competing to host the institution, including Lille, Rome, Porto, and Warsaw. In Belgium, Liège is making its bid for the agency.
Liège’s proposal highlights its academic expertise in customs. Since 2018, the University of Liège has been home to a customs law and trade study centre that addresses legal, economic, and technological issues in international commerce.
The city also points to the strategic advantage of Liège Airport, Europe’s sixth-largest cargo hub and its second-largest entry point for e-commerce parcels, handling 20-25% of the continent’s goods flow. This facility has allowed local researchers and practitioners to develop real-world expertise in managing the challenges of high volumes of packages from non-EU countries.
Walloon minister Pierre-Yves Jeholet called Liège a “strategic choice for Europe,” emphasising its strengths as a major logistics hub with multimodal connectivity, a cargo airport, and inland port facilities. He said the bid reflects the region’s ambition to boost competitiveness in Belgium and across Europe, while generating skilled jobs and contributing valuable expertise.
The city chosen to host the new agency will be announced in the coming months, with a gradual establishment process to follow. The authority is expected to employ approximately 250 staff.
