Your first order from Belgium or Germany: here's what you need to arrange beforehand
,
by Verpakkingdeals.nl
6 min reading time
A customer from Antwerp or Cologne orders from you. What do you need to arrange regarding VAT, packaging registration, and returns, and what kind of packaging do you choose for a package traveling further afield?
On a Tuesday morning, an order comes in with an address in Antwerp. Two weeks later, one from Cologne. Great—but now what? It’s tempting to simply put the same label on it as a Dutch package and throw it in the bag. That often works, but there are a few things attached to it that you'd better arrange before the second or third package rather than afterwards.
This article covers the four points that small webshops most often overlook: VAT, packaging registration, returns, and the box itself.
VAT: up to 10,000 euros, everything remains the same
As long as your total turnover from sales to private individuals in other EU countries remains at or below €10,000 in a calendar year, you typically charge Dutch VAT, according to the Dutch tax authorities. If you exceed this, the VAT rate of your customer's country applies. You can then register per country, or submit one quarterly declaration via the One Stop Shop (OSS) to the Dutch tax authorities, who will forward the VAT to the correct country.
The practical lesson: keep track of your foreign turnover separately in your accounting from the first order. Not because it's immediately required, but because you want to anticipate the amount. Always check belastingdienst.nl for your specific situation or ask your accountant — rules regarding thresholds and rates change and vary per product group.
Packaging registration: the most frequently forgotten point
This is the surprise for most starters. If you bring packaged goods to the German market, the German Packaging Act (VerpackG) requires you to register in the LUCID register with the Zentrale Stelle. The RVO explicitly states that this also applies to very small packages or small quantities of packaged products. Additionally, you enter into a contract with a dual system, which takes over the take-back and recycling of your packaging — in practice, you cannot take back packaging yourself from German consumers.
Other EU countries also have a form of extended producer responsibility for packaging, but each country implements it in its own way, with its own registration and usually an annual declaration of how much packaging material you brought to market in that country. Check what applies per country via rvo.nl or kvk.nl before you start shipping regularly. It's not a disaster if you only discover it after a few orders, but it is something you'll need to set up eventually.
What this means for your material choice
If you declare kilos of cardboard, film, and paper per country, you want to know what you're sending. Working with a small, fixed number of formats makes that calculation much simpler. Two letterbox sizes and three box sizes are enough for most webshops: the recycled letterbox box A6 (180 x 115 x 28 mm, 100 pieces) for €17.95 and the A5+ variant (255 x 160 x 28 mm, 100 pieces) for €24.00 together cover most small items.
Returns: fourteen days cooling-off period, also across borders
If you sell to consumers in other EU countries, a fourteen-day cooling-off period also applies there. The KVK also points out that since June 19, 2026, webshops must offer an easily findable cancellation button that meets specific requirements. So, expect some of your international packages to be returned, and decide in advance who bears the return costs and where the package goes.
Two things greatly help with cross-border returns:
Packaging that can be used twice. A box that the customer can reseal saves you a damaged return. Include a strip of KINZO packaging tape (50 m x 48 mm, €3.00) or choose a box that closes without tools.
Proof of what was inside. In case of a dispute over an incomplete return, VOID security seals (60 pieces, €9.95) are useful: the sticker shows whether a package has been opened en route.
The box: longer journeys mean more skipping
A package to Rotterdam goes through fewer hands than a package to Bavaria. More sorting centers, more conveyor belts, more moments when something is stacked on top. This is no cause for panic, but it is a reason to choose something a little sturdier than you are used to.
What you're sending
What works
Why
Flat and light
Letterbox box A6 or A5+
Fits through the letterbox, no delivery attempt needed
Fill empty spaces. A roll of bubble wrap 500 mm x 500 m (€12.95) lasts a long time and, for longer routes, makes the difference between a product that lies still and one that slides around for hundreds of kilometers. Seal boxes with an H-closure: one strip over the seam, two strips over the sides. With a tape dispenser with 2 rolls (€9.95), this takes a few seconds per box.
A workflow you set up once
Keep your foreign turnover separate in your accounting, from the first order.
Arrange your registration for Germany (LUCID plus dual system) before you start shipping there regularly.
Check your return conditions and the visibility of your cancellation option.
Limit yourself to a handful of packaging formats and buy them in bundles.
Weigh a filled standard package once, so you know which weight class you generally fall into.
Points four and five seem small, but they determine your margin. Anyone who uses a different box for each order pays too much in three areas: purchasing, void fill material, and shipping costs.
Get started
Do you want to get your packaging line for international shipments in order? Check Packaging & Shipping for the complete overview, Letterbox Packaging for everything that fits through the letterbox, Tape for sealing material and dispensers, and Bulk Packaging for Webshops if you purchase larger quantities at once.
Are you unsure which size suits your products, or do you want to know what a bundle costs for your volume? Feel free to email info@verpakkingdeals.nl — tell us what you send and in what quantities, and we'll help you figure it out.
This article provides general information, not tax or legal advice. Rules regarding VAT, packaging registration, and consumer law change; check your own situation with the Tax Authorities, the RVO, or your advisor.
Choosing a USB hub for working from home: 2.0 or 3.0, how many ports, and with switches
· 3 min reading time
Choosing a USB hub for working from home: 2.0 or 3.0, how many ports and with switchesYour desk needs three USB devices, but your laptop only has two ports. Or...
Power outages in autumn: emergency supplies you'll actually use
· 2 min reading time
Autumn Power Outages: Emergency Supplies You'll Actually Use October to December. Heating isn't in full swing yet, but the nights are getting long and cold. If a power outage strikes...
Choosing a power bank: capacity, charging speed, and weight compared
· 2 min reading time
Choosing a Power Bank: Capacity, Charging Speed, and Weight Compared Your phone dies when you're out and about. The classic emergency solution is a power bank. But what capacity do...
