Shipping from Belgium to the US: customs duty, the 10% tariff, diamonds and bpost (2026)
For sellers in Belgium of lace, tapestries, diamonds and jewellery, linen, ceramics, leather bags and comic albums on Etsy, eBay, Shopify or their own shop: every order to a US buyer now goes through US customs, whatever its value. Since 24 July 2026 goods made in Belgium (or anywhere in the EU) pay a total US duty of at least 10%: items with a lower normal rate are topped up to 10%, items already at 10% or more (such as hand-made lace) pay nothing extra, and unset diamonds are left out of the 10% altogether. bpost carries goods to the US only with all duties paid when you create the label. Here is how it works, with worked totals and an official source and date for every rule.
Calculate your own order for Belgium → US
The rules in 60 seconds
The US $800 duty-free de minimis exemption has been suspended for commercial shipments from every country since 29 August 2025. Every shipment, whatever its value, now goes through customs entry and pays any applicable duty. What the end of de minimis means
Since 24 July 2026, EU-origin goods pay Section 301 duty 'net of MFN': if a product's normal US duty is below 10%, the total becomes 10%; if it is already 10% or more, no Section 301 duty is added. Germany to US duty guide · Italy to US duty guide · France to US duty guide · Spain to US duty guide · Netherlands to US duty guide · Ireland to US duty guide · Austria to US duty guide · Poland to US duty guide · Portugal to US duty guide · Greece to US duty guide
bpost takes parcels to the US at every Post Office and Post Point or with a label created online, but all import duties must be paid when you create the shipment, so the US buyer pays nothing on delivery. The label needs a clear description, value and country of origin for each item, the reason for export and the HS code (bpost's partner Zonos fills it in if you don't know it). bpost also charges handling fees that include Zonos's services. Its US prohibited list includes alcoholic beverages, medicines, meat and tobacco.
Genuine person-to-person gifts worth US$100 or less are still duty-free. A business cannot declare a sale or promotional item as a gift. How to fill in customs forms
How the 10% EU rule works
The 10% is a floor, not an extra 10% on top: the added duty is only the gap between the normal US rate and 10%. So silver jewellery (normal rate 5%) pays 10% in total, a ceramic mug (10%) pays 10% with nothing added, and hand-made lace (13.2%) pays 13.2%. Duty-free goods such as tapestries and wool blankets are topped up to 10%.
The EU rule is set in the US tariff by two headings. Heading 9903.05.39 covers goods 'the product of a member state of the European Union' whose normal (column 1) US rate is below 10%: under U.S. note 52(k) 'the sum of the column 1 duty rate and the additional ad valorem rate of duty is 10 percent', so a free item pays 10%, a 5% item pays 5% more and a 9.8% item 0.2% more. Heading 9903.05.38 covers EU goods with a normal rate of 10% or more, which pay only the normal duty. Per-kilogram or per-item (specific or compound) rates are converted to a percentage by dividing the duty by the customs value: 50 cents per kilogram on a 1 kg item worth US$10 counts as 5%.
The EU rate applies to goods that are 'the product of a member state of the European Union'. CBP says Section 301 duties follow the country of origin, not the country of export, so goods made in China, India or elsewhere and resold from a Belgian shop pay the US rates for the country where they were made; bpost also asks for the country of origin of every item on the label.
What happened to the earlier US tariffs on EU goods?
On 20 February 2026 the US Supreme Court (Learning Resources v. Trump) held that IEEPA does not authorise tariffs. IEEPA tariffs stopped being collected on 24 February 2026. The ruling did NOT bring back de minimis: a separate order kept it suspended.
A temporary 10% Section 122 surcharge on most imports applied from 24 February 2026 and expired on 24 July 2026.
How much US duty to expect
Estimates for goods made in Belgium or elsewhere in the EU, before postage, bpost’s handling fee or a courier’s fees. Total = the normal US rate, topped up to 10% if it is lower, except for unset diamonds. Use the link in each row to change the price, shipping or product.
US codes and general rates from the official US tariff (U.S. International Trade Commission, checked 11 Nov 2026) and headings 9903.05.38, 9903.05.39 and 9903.05.97 (U.S. International Trade Commission). Codes are shown at 8 digits: your declaration needs the full 10-digit code, and your exact product may sit under a different code with a different rate. The lace row is lace in the piece, in strips or in motifs (heading 5804); finished lace articles such as handkerchiefs, collars or table linen can fall under other headings with other rates. The tapestry row uses 5805.00.10 (hand-woven wall hangings valued over US$215 per square metre); every line of heading 5805 is free, so any tapestry made in the EU pays 10%. The diamond row is a polished stone that is not mounted or set: once it is set in a ring it is gold jewellery (5.5%) and pays 10%. Check your code in our HS code lookup links. Chocolate, biscuits and other food are not in the table: they keep their own US rates and need US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) paperwork. Beer and other alcohol cannot go by bpost at all (see below).
Sample normal (general) US rates in the 2026 tariff: hand-made lace (5804.30.00) 13.2%; hand-woven tapestries of the Flanders, Gobelins or Aubusson type and needle-worked tapestries (heading 5805) free; worked but unset diamonds (7102.39.00) free; silver jewellery (7113.11.50) 5%; gold jewellery (7113.19.50) 5.5%; linen tablecloths and napkins (6302.59.10) 5.1%; non-porcelain ceramic mugs (6912.00.44) 10%; wool blankets (6301.20.00) free; leather handbags over US$20 (4202.21.90) 9%.
This guide treats US duty as a percentage of the goods' value, excluding international shipping. That is a simplification of US customs valuation; complex cases differ.
What escapes the 10%: unset diamonds, art, antiques, books
Exclusions follow the tariff code you declare, not the material. Our calculator handles paintings, prints and books (comic albums included) automatically, but not the EU diamond list yet: for a loose diamond, use the table above or enter the normal rate and ignore the Section 301 line.
Heading 9903.05.97 and U.S. note 52(j)(2) take some EU products out of the 10% rule entirely, so they pay only their normal US rate. For Belgian sellers the relevant lines are unset diamonds (7102.10, 7102.31 and 7102.39, free) and other unset precious and semi-precious stones (7103 lines), plus raw silk and silk yarn (5004–5007) and cork (4501–4504). A diamond set in a ring or pendant is jewellery (heading 7113), not on the list, and is topped up to 10%. Note 52(b) also excludes coffee, tea, works of art, collectors' pieces and antiques over 100 years old, and heading 9903.05.92 excludes books, including comic albums.
Section 232 sector tariffs apply in addition, e.g. 15–50% on steel/aluminium/copper goods (by metal content tiers since 6 April 2026), 25% on certain upholstered furniture, kitchen cabinets and vanities (scheduled to rise on 1 January 2027).
bpost, Zonos and couriers
bpost's press release of 5 December 2025 says the US service reopened on 8 December 2025 for residential customers and small users, that gifts between private persons worth under US$100 pay no import duty but a fixed US$2 handling fee, and that contract business customers ship through bpostgroup's professional solutions instead. The current bpost.be pages confirm the gift rule but do not repeat the US$2 amount.
Postal parcels to the US must have duties prepaid (Postal Delivered Duty Paid, PDDP). In practice, sending by post with the buyer paying duty on delivery (DDU) is generally not available. DDP vs DAP explained
From 24 July 2026, postal shipments pay standard duty rates (including Section 232 and 301 duties). The earlier interim postal duty treatment ended. Free-trade-agreement preference can now be claimed on postal shipments if you supply the documentation.
EU postal operators have reopened or kept US parcel services using prepaid or recipient-pay duty models: Deutsche Post DHL (PDDP mandatory up to US$2,500 since 24 July 2026), PostNL (reopened 19 September 2025; PDDP via Zonos, parcels up to USD 2,500 since 24 July 2026), La Poste/Colissimo, An Post (kept US parcels open; default is recipient-pay before delivery, with a business DDP option on request), and Österreichische Post / Post AG (PDDP mandatory for commercial goods up to USD 2,500; Onlinezollformular prepaid at drop-off for counter senders). Since 17 September 2026 La Poste has suspended Colissimo shipments to the US of some product types (children's items, toys, costume jewellery, electronics, clothing and sporting goods), which now need a specific customs form and CPSC pre-registration by the sender; registered business senders can still send them with Colissimo Facilité or Chronopost via La Poste Pro Expéditions. Germany to US duty guide · France to US duty guide · Netherlands to US duty guide · Ireland to US duty guide · Austria to US duty guide · Poland to US duty guide · Portugal to US duty guide · Greece to US duty guide
Couriers (DHL Express, UPS, FedEx or a broker that resells them) are the other route, and the usual one for contract business customers. If the buyer pays the duty on delivery (DAP), couriers add their own fee for paying it on the buyer’s behalf:
DHL Express charges US receivers a Duty Tax Processing fee of US$17.50 or 2.5% of the duties and taxes, whichever is higher, when it pays them on their behalf. A US$1.38 regulatory charge can also apply.
Ask bpost, your courier or broker for their handling and service fees and enter them in the calculator, because we only include fees we can cite. How DDP and DAP compare: DDP vs DAP for marketplace sellers.
Selling on Etsy to US buyers
Etsy: US-bound orders must use DDP shipping to qualify for Etsy Purchase Protection. Etsy does not collect US tariffs itself; your carrier or DDP service does.
Etsy says US-bound packages need a 10-digit HTS code and EU-bound packages a 6-digit code. Without one, a package may be delayed or returned.
On Etsy labels, the customs declared value is filled in from the order total for the items (after discounts), without shipping or tax. Etsy pre-fills the customs description from your listing, but you are responsible for checking that every customs detail is accurate. Customs forms guide
With bpost you pay the duty when you create the shipment, so build it into your US price or shipping rate, together with bpost’s handling fee.
Checklist before you ship from Belgium to the US
- Find the 10-digit US code for each product and its normal rate in the US tariff. Below 10%: your total is 10%. 10% or more: nothing is added. Unset diamonds and other unset precious stones, art, antiques over 100 years old and books: no top-up.
- Remember that duty-free goods are not free any more: tapestries, wool blankets and candles with a free normal rate pay 10%.
- Sending by bpost: give a clear description, the value, the country of origin and the reason for export for every item, plus the HS code if you know it (Zonos fills it in otherwise), and pay the duties and handling fee when you create the label.
- Don’t send beer, other alcohol, medicines or meat by bpost: they are on its US prohibited list.
- Country of origin is where the item was made, not where you post it from. Stock made outside the EU keeps its own origin and pays that country’s US rates.
- Use a specific description ("hand-made cotton bobbin lace doily, 20 cm", "sterling silver earrings", "linen tablecloth 150 × 250 cm"), not "gift", "handmade item" or "souvenir".
- Never mark a sale, replacement or freebie as a gift: only genuine private gifts of US$100 or less are exempt. Duties are generally not refunded if a parcel comes back.
For sellers in Belgium / Pour les vendeurs en Belgique / Voor verkopers in België
- L’exonération de minimis américaine (800 USD) est suspendue depuis le 29 août 2025 : tout envoi de marchandises vers les États-Unis passe en douane, quelle que soit sa valeur.
- Depuis le 24 juillet 2026, les produits originaires de l’UE paient au total au moins 10 % de droits aux États-Unis (HTSUS 9903.05.38 / 9903.05.39) : si le taux normal est inférieur, on ajoute la différence ; à 10 % ou plus, rien n’est ajouté. Exemples : bijou en argent 5 % → 10 % ; dentelle faite main 13,2 % → 13,2 % ; tapisserie 0 % → 10 %.
- Les diamants non montés (7102) sont exclus de la règle des 10 % (note 52(j)(2)) et restent à 0 %. Un diamant serti dans une bague est un bijou et paie 10 %.
- bpost : tous les droits et des frais de traitement (dont Zonos) sont payés à la création de l’étiquette ; l’alcool, dont la bière, est interdit vers les États-Unis.
- Cette page est informative et ne constitue pas un conseil juridique, fiscal ou douanier.
- Sinds 24 juli 2026 betalen goederen van oorsprong uit de EU in totaal minstens 10% Amerikaans invoerrecht: ligt het normale tarief lager, dan wordt het aangevuld tot 10%; bij 10% of meer komt er niets bij. Kant (handgemaakt) 13,2% blijft 13,2%; wandtapijten 0% worden 10%.
- Losse, niet gezette diamanten (7102) vallen buiten de 10%-regel en blijven vrij van recht.
- bpost: alle invoerrechten en behandelingskosten (incl. Zonos) betaalt u bij het aanmaken van het label; bier en andere alcohol mogen niet naar de VS.
- Deze pagina is algemene informatie en geen juridisch, fiscaal of douaneadvies.
Coming up
Mandatory electronic 'Entry Type 13' filing for postal goods that are subject to Section 201/232/301 duties (HTSUS Chapters 98/99) or regulated by a Partner Government Agency (FDA, CPSC, USDA etc.) was postponed from 22 October 2026 to 20 January 2027 (final rule published in the Federal Register on 22 October 2026). Until then the existing mail entry process continues. From 22 October 2026 CBP's optional Entry Type 13 test also accepts filings with or without complete electronic PGA data, for a temporary period.
Proposal only, not in force: on 8 October 2026 CBP published a proposed rule ('Low-Value Shipments', FR doc. 2026-20650) that would require all informal entries of goods worth US$2,500 or less to be filed electronically before or on arrival, make the new electronic Entry Type 13 the entry route for such mail shipments, add a shipper/sender data element and new bond requirements, and require consignees to use a licensed customs broker as importer of record for mail entries. Public comments are open until 7 December 2026. Nothing changes until a final rule is published.
US tariff rates have changed several times since 2025 and can change again. We record every change in the change log. Why every US order now pays duty: US de minimis has ended. Named as importer on your own DDP shipments? From 5 January 2027 see the foreign importer of record rule. The whole EU route, including other EU postal services: EU → US. Other origins: Germany → US · Italy → US · France → US · Spain → US · Netherlands → US · Ireland → US · Austria → US · Poland → US · Portugal → US · Greece → US · UK → US · China → US · Canada → US. Selling jewellery? See jewellery import duty. Selling art? See art, prints and antiques. Filling in a customs form? See CN22 and CN23 customs forms. Buyer returned an order? See international returns and duty refunds.
This page is general information, not legal, tax or customs advice. Tariff lists, exclusions, origin rules and carriers’ and marketplaces’ terms change; check the official tariff and their current pages. See the disclaimer.
Sources for this page
- Sending packages to the U.S. – duty updates, Canada Post. Accessed 20 Oct 2026. Verified
- Shipping to the USA? – business updates (guide updated 6 Oct 2026), Royal Mail. Accessed 5 Nov 2026. Verified
- CBP modernizes low-value shipment processing (24 Jun 2026), U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Accessed 27 Oct 2026. Verified
- Notice of Actions in Section 301 Forced Labor Investigations (23 Jul 2026), Office of the U.S. Trade Representative. Accessed 4 Nov 2026. Verified
- HTSUS headings 9903.05.38, 9903.05.39 and 9903.05.97: Section 301 duty on products of EU member states (2026 HTS Revision 22), U.S. International Trade Commission. Accessed 4 Nov 2026. Verified
- HTSUS Chapter 99, Subchapter III, U.S. note 52 (Section 301 duties, exclusions and the 12.5% rule) (2026 HTS Revision 22), U.S. International Trade Commission. Accessed 4 Nov 2026. Verified
- Section 301 Trade Remedies Frequently Asked Questions (“Are products of Hong Kong subject to the additional Section 301 duties?”), U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Accessed 2 Nov 2026. Verified
- Send a parcel to the United States, bpost. Accessed 11 Nov 2026. Verified
- Learning Resources, Inc. v. Trump, No. 24-1287 (20 Feb 2026), Supreme Court of the United States. Accessed 20 Oct 2026. Partly verified
- Indefinite Suspension of the De Minimis Exemption for Mail Shipments and New Postal Informal Entry Process (Interim final rule, 24 Jun 2026), Federal Register / CBP. Accessed 20 Oct 2026. Partly verified
- Active Presidential Tariff Actions in 2026: Fact Sheet (R49481), Congressional Research Service (via EveryCRSReport). Accessed 20 Oct 2026. Partly verified
- Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States: general (MFN) rates for the sample codes on the Belgium to US page (2026 HTS Revision 23), U.S. International Trade Commission. Accessed 11 Nov 2026. Verified
- Answers to common questions about U.S. tariffs, Trade Commissioner Service (Government of Canada). Accessed 3 Nov 2026. Verified
- What new import rules apply to shipments to the US?, bpost. Accessed 11 Nov 2026. Verified
- bpost resumes parcel shipments to the United States… just in time for Christmas gifts (press release, 5 Dec 2025), bpost (press room). Accessed 11 Nov 2026. Partly verified
- US-Versand / Postal DDP, Deutsche Post DHL. Accessed 4 Nov 2026. Verified
- Shipping to the United States (PostNL business), PostNL. Accessed 6 Nov 2026. Verified
- PostNL reopens shipping services to the United States after temporary suspension, PostNL Newsroom. Accessed 6 Nov 2026. Verified
- Nouvelle réglementation pour les envois vers les États-Unis, La Poste. Accessed 5 Nov 2026. Verified
- Comment sont calculés les droits de douane pour les États-Unis ?, La Poste. Accessed 5 Nov 2026. Verified
- Sending to the USA: An Post customs sending information, An Post. Accessed 6 Nov 2026. Verified
- An Post will support Irish businesses and personal customers by maintaining parcel services to the US despite the imposition of taxes by the US, An Post Media Centre. Accessed 6 Nov 2026. Verified
- Warenversand in die USA, Österreichische Post AG. Accessed 6 Nov 2026. Verified
- PDDP-Lösung (Postal Delivered Duty Paid) – Paket International, Österreichische Post AG. Accessed 6 Nov 2026. Verified
- Customs Services (effective 1 January 2026), DHL Express USA. Accessed 24 Oct 2026. Verified
- Information for Managing International Shipments, Etsy Help. Accessed 10 Nov 2026. Verified
- Navigating Evolving Global Tariff Policies, Etsy Seller Handbook. Accessed 20 Oct 2026. Partly verified
- Indefinite Suspension of the De Minimis Exemption for Mail Shipments and New Postal Informal Entry Process; Delayed Compliance Extension (Final rule, 91 FR, 22 Oct 2026, doc. 2026-21600), Federal Register / U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Accessed 22 Oct 2026. Verified
- Modification of the Test of the New Electronic Informal Entry Process for Mail (General notice, 22 Oct 2026, doc. 2026-21570), Federal Register / U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Accessed 22 Oct 2026. Verified
- International Mail Entry Type 13 mandatory implementation date extended to Jan. 20, 2027 (14 Oct 2026), U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Accessed 22 Oct 2026. Verified
- Low-Value Shipments (Proposed rule, 91 FR 64532, 8 Oct 2026, doc. 2026-20650), Federal Register / U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Accessed 26 Oct 2026. Verified
Rules change often: the latest change we tracked was on 10 Nov 2026 (US: the 178 China Section 301 product exclusions are extended to 9 January 2027). Alerts send one short email, with the source, only when a rule changes on a route you pick.