As spring break sees an influx of travellers crossing the Channel, Belgian customs is reminding shoppers that shopping in London comes with different rules than shopping in Paris. Since Brexit, the United Kingdom is no longer part of the European Union, meaning customs checks apply to all travellers, including those returning by train.

The stricter post-Brexit regulations require anyone bringing goods worth more than 300 euros into Belgium to declare them. For those arriving by boat or plane, the threshold is 430 euros. “Shoppers will, of course, quickly reach that amount and must therefore declare their purchases upon their arrival in Brussels,” explained customs administrator general Kristian Vanderwaeren during a press visit to the Eurostar terminal at Brussels-South on Thursday.

Declaring goods

As in Zaventem Airport, travellers at Brussels-South must choose between the “nothing to declare” and “goods to declare” lanes upon arrival. However, compliance remains low. On the Eurostar train that arrived at 10:00, not a single passenger opted for the declaration lane. “That is almost always the case,” Vanderwaeren noted. “We are organising this action to remind people that the regulations for shopping in London are not the same as for Paris. Four years after London formally left the EU, such a reminder is still necessary.”

Travellers who declare goods must pay applicable duties and taxes, which are calculated based on the total value, including VAT already paid in the UK. Those who fail to declare goods risk fines on top of the standard levies.

Despite these warnings, the risk of being caught remains relatively low. Figures from the FPS Finance show that of the nearly 9,000 people checked at Brussels-South last year, only 135 violations were recorded. These included undeclared goods, as well as infractions related to undeclared cash and drug possession. A specially trained detection dog at the terminal assists in sniffing out large sums of money. 10,000 euros or more must be declared, as well as various currencies and drugs.

Thursday’s checks did not lead to any major confiscations. One woman had to surrender a bouquet of flowers, while others were forced to leave behind food purchased in the UK. Both flowers and food items were destroyed. All 400 Eurostar passengers cleared customs in just over fifteen minutes, but with current infrastructure limiting full-scale inspections, customs officials are considering installing scanners at Brussels-South.

In addition to its crackdown on undeclared goods, customs used the press event to highlight an upcoming travel requirement: As of 2 April, travellers to the UK will need an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA), which has been available for application since Wednesday.

Federal minister Jan Jambon (N-VA) expressed his support for these enforcement actions, reinforcing Belgium’s commitment to ensuring compliance with post-Brexit regulations.

^{​Drug inspection by detection dogs in the railway station Brussels South, Thursday 06 March 2025. ​
​© BELGA PHOTO BRUNO FAHY}

Related news