Countries · BE
Belgium: sanctions and trade risk
As of 7 November 2026, the screened UN, EU, UK, Swiss and US sanctions lists contain 30 companies, organisations, vessels and aircraft linked to Belgium.Lists last checked .
Logistics profile: ports, airports, customs, documents, holidays, news ↓
No elevated country indicator for Belgium in the route rules Sanctioni uses. That is not a clearance: goods may still be export-controlled, and parties in Belgium may still be on a list.
On the sanctions lists
30 entries on the official lists name Belgium — as nationality, address, registration or flag. That links them to the country; it says nothing about other companies there. The same company can appear on several lists and is then counted once per list. Individuals are not included — Sanctioni does not process them.
| List | Entries | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US OFAC — Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) | 21 | 21 | — | — |
| Switzerland SECO Consolidated Sanctions List | 4 | 4 | — | — |
| UK Sanctions List (FCDO) | 3 | 3 | — | — |
| EU Consolidated Financial Sanctions List (FSF) | 1 | 1 | — | — |
| UN Security Council Consolidated List | 1 | 1 | — | — |
Latest changes
No new listings or removals naming Belgium recorded yet.
Related
Logistics profile
Belgium: logistics and trade
Transit hub and port, pharmaceutical and air cargo hub of Western Europe
Belgium (BE) is one of Western Europe's key logistics hubs and a transit, port and pharmaceutical gateway between the North Sea and central Europe. As a member of the EU customs union and the eurozone, goods move freely within the single market; third-country customs run via the EU systems IDMS (import) and AES (export). The standard import VAT rate is 21 percent (reduced 6 and 12 percent), and the ET 14000 licence allows import VAT to be deferred to the tax return. Its key gateway is the merged Port of Antwerp-Bruges, one of Europe's largest seaports (around 267 million tonnes and 13.6 million TEU in 2025) and a leading chemical and container location, complemented by North Sea Port Ghent and Zeebrugge. In air freight, Liege (LGG) is Belgium's largest cargo airport. Motorway corridors such as the E40 and E19, the Rhine-Alpine rail corridor from Antwerp and dense inland waterways connect the country to the Ruhr region, France and the Netherlands. Typical goods include chemicals and petrochemicals, pharmaceuticals, vehicles and steel; the main trading partners are Germany, the Netherlands, France and the United Kingdom.
- Capital
- Brussels
- Population
- 11,590,000
- Area
- 30,689 km²
- Currency
- Euro (EUR)
- Continent
- Europe
- Region
- Benelux
- Economic area
- EU / Eurozone
- Religions
- Catholicism, Islam, Protestantism, Judaism
- Access to the sea
- Yes
Transport modes Sea · Road · Rail · Air · Inland waterway
- Current situation
- Port of Antwerp-Bruges closed 2025 with around 267 million tonnes of throughput and 13,6 million TEU (containers slightly up, bulk declining); customs modernisation is under way (Inbound Release Platform live since December 2025, gradual replacement of PLDA). (Status 2026-07-18)
- Seasonal conditions
- Temperate maritime climate, weather disruptions rare. In winter occasional fog and slippery conditions, occasionally storm surges on the North Sea coast.
Main seaports
- Bruges
Bruges (BE BGS) is Brugge's inner-port area on the Boudewijn Canal: dry bulk, recycling, ship repair. Containers and RoRo run via Zeebrugge.
- Zeebrugge
Zeebrugge (BE ZEE): Belgium's North Sea RoRo and vehicle port, with a CSP container terminal (~1M TEU) and Fluxys LNG hub, part of Antwerp-Bruges.
- Oostende
Oostende (BE OST): Belgian heavy-lift and RoRo port, offshore-wind base. For container freight, Zeebrugge and Antwerp are better suited.
- Antwerpen
Antwerp (BE ANR): Europe's second container port, 13.6M TEU and 266.5M tonnes in 2025, the continent's largest chemical cluster, record reefer year.
Main cargo airports
- Liège AirportLGG
Liège Airport (LGG): Europe's largest full-freighter hub, 1.324m tonnes in 2025 (+14%). Home to FedEx, Cargolux, ASL Airlines; specialist in flowers and e-commerce.
- Brussels AirportBRU
Brussels Airport (BRU): a leading global pharma gateway, ~795,000 tonnes in 2025, CEIV-certified Brucargo zone, new Brucargo Central, DHL and Qatar Cargo.
- Oostende-Brugge International AirportOST
Oostende-Brugge Airport (OST/EBOS), Belgium: North Sea cargo airport, ~18,100 t freight in 2024, ASL Airlines, TUI fly, near Zeebrugge; main hub Liège (LGG).
Road corridors
- E40 (Calais-Brussels-Liège-Aachen)
- E17 (Antwerp-Ghent-Lille)
- E19 (Amsterdam-Antwerp-Brussels-Paris)
- E314
Rail corridors
- Rhine-Alpine corridor (Antwerp-Genoa)
- North Sea-Mediterranean corridor
- Montzen line (Belgium-Germany)
Inland ports
- Liège
- Brussels
- Ghent
Main trade lanes
- Belgium-Germany
- Belgium-Netherlands
- Belgium-France
- Belgium-United Kingdom
- Belgium-USA
- Belgium-China
Customs and import
Customs authority General Administration of Customs and Excise (FÖD Finanzen)Official website ↗
- Import customs system
- EU Union Customs Code (UCC); national import declaration via IDMS, which replaces PLDA (production operation 2025).
- Export customs system
- EU UCC; export declaration via AES, live since 18.11.2024 and replacing PLDA export.
- Import VAT
- Import VAT standard rate 21 percent; reduced rates 6 and 12 percent. Deferral of import VAT possible (licence ET 14000).
- Proofs of origin and trade agreements
- EU preferential origin via EUR.1, origin declaration in the REX system and supplier declarations under EU free trade agreements.
- Restricted and prohibited goods
- Controls including for weapons, dual-use goods, drug precursors, cultural goods, protected species (CITES) and excise goods.
Typical import documents
- Commercial invoice
- Packing list
- Customs declaration (IDMS)
- Consignment note (CMR/B-L/AWB)
- Certificate of origin
- Import licences if required
Typical export documents
- Commercial invoice
- Packing list
- Export declaration (AES)
- Consignment note (CMR/B-L/AWB)
- Proof of preference (EUR.1/REX)
- Export licences if required
Logistics conditions
- Customs complexity
- Medium
- Customs delays
- Low to medium
- Port congestion
- Medium
- Dangerous goods relevance
- High
- Pharma and cold chain relevance
- High
- E-commerce relevance
- High
Trade
Top import partners
Top export partners
Top import goods
- Vehicles
- Machinery
- Chemicals
- Pharmaceuticals
- Crude oil
Top export goods
- Vehicles
- Chemicals
- Pharmaceuticals
- Diamonds
- Machinery
Typical cargo
- Chemicals and petrochemicals
- Pharmaceuticals
- Vehicles
- Container general cargo
- Steel
- Project cargo
- Reefer/fruit
Upcoming public holidays
- Armistice DayWed, 11 Nov 2026 · businesses closed
- Christmas DayFri, 25 Dec 2026 · businesses closed
- New Year's DayFri, 1 Jan 2027 · businesses closed
- Easter MondayMon, 29 Mar 2027 · businesses closed
- Labour DaySat, 1 May 2027 · businesses closed
- Ascension DayThu, 6 May 2027 · businesses closed
- Whit MondayMon, 17 May 2027 · businesses closed
- Belgian National DayWed, 21 Jul 2027 · businesses closed
Latest logistics news
- High Diesel Prices: IRU Calls for Targeted Support for Transport Operators2 Nov 2026
The IRU demands relief measures due to high diesel prices. An association's demand does not yet replace a government decision on state aid.
- EU Parliament Wants to Relieve Small Businesses of Packaging Representative Obligations28 Oct 2026
The EU Parliament wants to relieve certain small companies of the authorized representative requirement. The position is not yet a valid exception.
- Rhine Low Water Levels Impact Hinterland Traffic to Basel and Rotterdam-Antwerp24 Oct 2026
Low water levels on the Rhine reduce loading capacity in Duisburg-Ruhrort by approximately one-third and strain hinterland transport between Rotterdam/Antwerp and Basel/Duisburg.
- EU Parliament Approves New Limits for Truck Toll Discounts14 Oct 2026
The EU Parliament approves new rules for truck toll discounts. Fleets should factor in the threshold as of July 2031 in long-term billing.
- ERTMS (European Rail Traffic Management System) Becomes a Billion-Euro Project: EU Names Up to €85 Billion12 Oct 2026
ERTMS is intended to standardize European rail transport. To date, only around 10 percent of the TEN-T network has been equipped. Further expansion will be costly.
Logistics questions
What is Belgium's most important seaport?
The merged port of Antwerp-Bruges is by far the most important; it ranks among the largest ports in Europe and handled around 266,5 million tonnes in 2025. Antwerp is also a leading chemical and container location.
Through which airport does air freight run?
The most important cargo airport is Liège (Liège, LGG) with over 1,16 million tonnes in 2024, followed by Brussels Airport (BRU). Liège is one of the largest cargo hubs in Europe.
What is the import VAT rate in Belgium?
The standard rate is 21 percent; reduced rates are 6 and 12 percent. With an ET-14000 licence, import VAT can be deferred to the VAT return.
Which customs systems does Belgium use for import and export?
Belgium applies the EU Union Customs Code. Import declarations are handled via IDMS (replacing PLDA, production operation 2025), export declarations via AES (live since 18.11.2024).
Is a customs declaration required for shipments within the EU?
No. Belgium is an EU and eurozone member; within the single market, goods move freely without a customs declaration. Customs duties only arise in trade with non-EU countries.
What are the transit connections to Germany and France?
Very good: motorway corridors such as the E40 and E19, the Rhine-Alpine rail corridor from Antwerp and inland waterways connect Belgium closely with the Ruhr area, France and the Netherlands.
Full logistics profile on Freight Academy ↗
Powered by Freight Academy, verified 18 Jul 2026. Logistics information, not a sanctions source.