FAQ

Yes, if you are a postal service provider responsible for the delivery (A) of parcels (B) in Belgium (C) by couriers (D).

The law applies to you if all 4 criteria A, B, C and D are met.
It does not apply if at least one of these criteria is not met.

The delivery (A) of a parcel, also known as ‘last-mile delivery’, is the phase from sorting at the distribution centre to delivery of the parcels to the recipient. This includes preparing the route, loading the parcels onto the vehicle, transporting them and delivering them to the specified address. The company sending the parcel does not deliver the parcel itself. (For more information, see point 3 What does ‘self-delivery’ mean?).

The parcel (B) is a parcel delivery:

• with a delivery address,
• that weighs a maximum of 31.5 kg,
• which contains permitted goods with or without commercial value (no correspondence),
• with closed packaging.

In Belgium (C), the law applies to companies

• that deliver parcels in Belgium, even if the delivery has started in another country;
• that deliver parcels which are distributed from Belgium and are destined for abroad.

Couriers (D) are natural persons who deliver parcels for a postal service provider or one of its subcontractors, regardless of their professional status. This law therefore applies to couriers who are employees (including students whose curriculum provides for employment), self-employed or self-employed assistants.

Self-delivery is not covered by the Parcel Delivery Act. Companies operate ‘self-delivery' if they exclusively deliver their own goods via their own network. In other words, via their own infrastructure and their own employees or temporary workers.

Please note: A company which, in addition to delivering goods via its own network, also delivers goods from third parties is subject to this law.

No, if you are an entrepreneur who sells products via an online shop and uses external suppliers for delivery, you do not fall within the scope of this law.

Please note: This legislation applies well to the postal service providers who carry out the delivery for you.

No, if you are an entrepreneur and you sell your own products via an online shop and deliver them to your customers yourself, you are not subject to this law.

Please note: This only applies if you as a company only deliver your own products and do not deliver parcels for third parties.

No, if you as a food business or restaurant deliver your own food, ready-to-eat meals or partially prepared meals, this law does not apply to you as it falls under the ‘self-delivery‘ exemption.

If, as a food business, you do not deliver yourself but instead commission a network of subcontractors, this law does not apply to you either.

Note: This law does well apply to subcontractors who deliver for you.

If you, as a pharmaceutical company, commission subcontractors who deliver for you, this legislation does not apply to your pharmaceutical company.

Subcontractors are subject to this legislation as they provide postal services on behalf of third parties.

You have your own parcel distribution network and your own staff to deliver your own goods and you also deliver parcels from other companies? If so, you are subject to this legislation for all your parcel deliveries (i.e. both your own parcels and those of other companies).

You have your own distribution network for parcels and your own staff to deliver your own goods. You only deliver your own products. You do not deliver products from third parties. In this case, you are not subject to this law.