Figures released today by the Belgian hub show that in July the number of e-commerce shipments into the Liege Bierset customs zone fell by 24% year on year after the EU implemented a €3 charge for parcels with a value of less than €150 at the start of the month.
Compared with June, e-commerce shipments are down 41%, the airport said. Meanwhile, the number of customs declarations is down by 52% year on year.
The airport said that the charge had led to an immediate reorganisation of e-commerce flows and had profoundly altered the structure of imports.
While B2C shipments worth less than €150 have “sharply fallen”, those valued above that amount have seen a 10% increase, according to a customs source, “reflecting a shift towards higher-value shipments and a rapid adaptation by logistics operators”.
Meanwhile, overall volumes at the airport managed a “solid growth trajectory” in July, increasing by 4% year on year to 114,064 tonnes, thanks to the “diversification of its traditional freight operations”. The increase comes despite a 4% decrease in aircraft movements.
However, the 4% increase is below the growth rate of 11.3% recorded in the first half of the year.
“Pharmaceuticals, data centre equipment and flowers segments actively underpinned the month’s logistics activity,” the airport said.
“Ongoing investment in the cold chain confirms Liege Airport’s strategic positioning as a leading European hub for high-value-added, temperature-sensitive freight.”
Figures from consultant Rotate suggest that European freighter capacity declined at the start of July, potentially as a result of the legislation.
The charge is likely to be followed later in the year by a separate €2 processing fee, expected in November 2026.
Source: https://www.aircargonews.net/cargo-airport/2026/08/new-eu-e-commerce-rules-have-instant-impact-at-liege/
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