E-commerce in Belgium

Of Belgians over the age of 15, as many as 96 % shop online occasionally. They like to shop and increasingly on online marketplaces. Belgium has been experiencing some tension (in Dutch) about ordering through marketplaces for a few years now. Because more and more Belgians are spending money at foreign online shops. Especially with Chinese players. The Belgian e-commerce market has national product requirements and laws. Check these before selling in Belgium. This article is about the Belgian e-commerce market. And the rules governing it.

Belgian rules and legislation

Dutch businesses looking to start an online shop in Belgium do not have to meet any specific rules, as local legislation follows the European rules for e-commerce and product safety. It is important to keep local product requirements (in Dutch) and product legislation in mind, however:

• For example, Belgium has stricter labelling requirements than the Netherlands. In Belgium, labels have to feature 3 languages: French, German, and Dutch, depending on the region in which you sell the product.
• Another example: online shops in Belgium are required to offer two delivery options. Such as home delivery, delivery at a neighbour's house, or at a parcel pick-up point. 
• Also make sure your products meet EU safety requirements. 

To encourage international business, the Benelux area has launched a web portal for retailers with links to organisations (in Dutch) that specialise in e-commerce and legislation.

WEEE regulation

Does your online shop sell electrical and electronic devices in Belgium? Then you are also responsible for collecting discarded devices. And their environmentally friendly processing. This is in the WEEE regulation.

This law applies whether your business is big or small. And whether or not you have a business in Belgium. Register your business with the Public Flanders Waste company OVAM (in Dutch). Do so before you start selling the devices in Belgium. OVAM sees to it that you follow the rules. 

Extended producer responsibility (UPV)

Belgium has an UPV for some product groups. For example, for batteries. For example, do you sell toys with batteries on the Belgian market? Then you have to collect and process the discarded batteries yourself. Register your business with OVAM before you sell your first products. You will be fined if you do not comply. Even if you only send one order.

More information on UPV can be found on the website of the Flemish government organisation Flanders Circular.

Packaging Act

Belgium's Packaging Act is stricter than its Dutch counterpart. You will have to comply with this act if your online shop sells packaged products to Belgian consumers. You have to be officially registered if you place more than 300 kg of packaging material on the Belgian market. For smaller amounts, you do not have to be registered.

The Interregional Packaging Committee IVC is the Belgian government agency responsible for legislation on packaging waste and transit waste. For more information about the various rules in Belgium, visit the IVC website. If you fail to comply with the rules, you may be fined.

Applying for a local domain name

Google is the most popular search engine in Belgium. Google prefers local websites. Register a local domain name if you want to attract Belgian customers to your shop.

Websites with a .be, .vlaanderen, or .brussels extension are registered with DNS Belgium. To register a domain name, you need a hosting provider or registrar. DNS Belgium has a list of registrars and guidance on criteria for domain names. This includes Dutch companies. Registering a domain name is free for businesses, organisations, and private citizens, and you do not need to have an address or run a business in Belgium.

Language

Belgium has 3 national languages; Dutch, French, and German. Although they seem very similar, there are clear differences between Dutch and Flemish. The Dutch word for sale, for example, is ‘uitverkoop’, while Belgian people call it ‘solden’. Have your website content translated or checked by a Flemish and/or French-speaking copywriter, and investigate which words and search terms your Belgian competitors use on their websites.

E-commerce trust marks

In Belgium, a trust mark is also known as a quality label. The Becom and Webshop Trustmark labels are well-known in Belgium (both websites available in Dutch and French).  

As in the Netherlands, you are not required to have an e-commerce trust mark in Belgium, but they do lend credibility to your online shop. On top of that, trust marks will be adapted to sector-specific Belgian legislation and usually offer a local complaints centre. As well as a trust mark, you could also show customer reviews on your website to highlight your reliability and professionalism.

Payment options

Bancontact is the most favourite payment method among Belgian consumers. Bancontact is similar to payment via iDEAL. With payments via Bancontact, you are sure to receive the money. They also like to pay by credit card and PayPal. Belgians call a credit card a credit card. Adapt your payment methods to Belgian requirements.

VAT on distance sales in Belgium

For information about Belgian tax rates, visit the website of the Federal Public Service for Finance. The Belgian government checks whether businesses use the right VAT rate, focusing particularly on online shops that sell products to Belgian consumers and organisations without a VAT identification number. If your online shop sells products to Belgian consumers, the 'destination country principle‘ applies, which means that you have to charge Belgian VAT to Belgian consumers.

There are two ways to file overseas VAT returns:

1. You apply for a Belgian VAT number and file local VAT returns in Belgium.
2. Or you sign your company up for the Union scheme under the One-Stop-Shop system of the Netherlands Tax Administration, who will then pass on the VAT to Belgium.

If your total sales to Belgian consumers and your other intra-EU consumer sales remain below the €10,000 threshold, you are allowed to continue to charge Dutch VAT as a Dutch online shop.

Key figures

Belgium' s annual e-commerce report shows that total e-commerce turnover will increase by 6.7% to €17.4 billion in 2024. In 2023, total turnover was 16.3 billion euros. The top three online purchases are clothes, games and media services. Belgians spend the most on travel packages and airline tickets. A total of 4 and 2.3 billion euros. Clothing is also in this top three with 1.7 billion euros.

For more figures, market information, and e-commerce news, go to the websites of BeCom (in Dutch) or Comeos. Becom is the Belgian e-commerce federation for online shops. Comeos represents traders and service providers.