Customs warehouse for works of art in Belgium
An artwork acquired in New York, a collection repatriated from London, an expedition consolidated from Geneva: crossing the borders of the European Union generally triggers immediate payment of VAT upon entry. For a gallery preparing to participate in BRAFA, a collector awaiting a sales decision, or a dealer managing multiple destinations in parallel, this tax advance can represent tens of thousands of euros tied up—for months.
The bonded warehouse offers an alternative: store your works in Belgium under Suspense customs regime, without paying VAT as long as the decision has not been made. Selling in Belgium, re-exporting to a third country, transferring to another destination – all options remain open.
What is a bonded warehouse?
An in-bond warehouse is an approved storage facility where works of art can be kept without incurring VAT upon entry into Belgium. As long as the pieces remain within the facility, no VAT is payable. It is only once a decision is made – to sell the artwork locally or to re-export it – that the tax situation changes accordingly. This system offers a unique advantage: the ability to bring works of art into Belgium without having to pay taxes upfront, while keeping all future options open.
The IM71 procedure: the Belgian legal framework
In Belgian customs law, this regime corresponds to procedure IM71. Goods placed under this status are considered to be outside the fiscal territory of the European Union, even if they are physically in Belgium. Neither VAT nor customs duties are payable as long as the goods remain in the authorised warehouse.
Embelco is an authorised operator: we handle the entirety of Customs formalities related to IM71, from the entry declaration to the exit procedure.
How does bonded storage compare to traditional art storage?
While bonded warehouses are ideal for artworks in transit or awaiting their final destination, they serve a different purpose than traditional art storage.
Classic storage solutions are designed for long-term conservation and active management of collections. They offer flexible access, advanced climate control and tailored storage systems. They are often the preferred option for works with stable ownership, permanent collections, or when VAT and customs duties are not an issue.
Conversely, customs warehousing falls within a strictly regulated framework controlled by customs authorities. It restricts the free movement of works and excludes any off-site exhibition, but offers decisive advantages when import status remains pending. It is therefore a strategic lever, not merely a conservation solution.
Choosing between the two depends on your situation:
- If you favour the’accessibility and long-term conservation, classic storage is essential.
If you prioritise Customs flexibility and strategic import management, customs warehousing is more suitable.
| Classic storage | Customs warehouse |
| ✅ Free access to your works ✅ Long-term conservation ✅ Ideal permanent collection ❌ VAT due on entry into Belgium ❌ Less suitable for works in transit | ✅ No VAT payable on entry ✅ All options open: sale, re-export, transfer Ideal for works in transit or with an uncertain destination Regulated access by customs ❌ All movement implies formality |
You need a climate-controlled art storage for your permanent collection?
Tax advantages: defer VAT on your imported works of art
In Belgium, VAT on works of art is set at 6%. This is the lowest rate in the EU — but on a work worth €400,000, this amounts to €24,000 that must be paid up front during the transaction. For a gallery handling around ten pieces at any one time, the impact on cash flow is immediate.
Customs warehousing suspends this obligation. The artwork enters Belgium, it is stored, exhibited, negotiated – and VAT will only be due if it is ultimately sold on the Belgian market or definitively imported into the EU. If it leaves again, no tax has been triggered.
Compared to’Temporary import Under the standard scheme (IM53), the advantage is significant: the importer does not have to provide a guarantee equivalent to VAT – often tied up for several months with customs. At Embelco, the operator bears the responsibility. Not the client.
Customs warehouse or free port — what's the difference?
Free ports – Geneva, Luxembourg, Singapore – operate on the same principle of fiscal suspension. The difference is geographical and economic.
A free port is an extraterritorial zone, generally associated with very high-end infrastructure, at a corresponding cost, and a very long-term conservation logic. Embelco's bonded warehouse in Brussels offers the same tax advantages, with operational flexibility that traditional free ports do not always allow: direct coordination with our teams at Transport, of manipulation and customs, in a single, unified warehouse.
And there's the geography: Brussels is 1h30 from Paris, 2h from London. It's the heart of the art world in Europe, in close proximity to BRAFA, Art Brussels, and the main Belgian auction houses.
Our approved customs warehouse, in Brussels
Our warehouse is approved by the Belgian customs authorities and located in Machelen, in the immediate vicinity of Brussels-Zaventem Airport. The works are kept there under IM71 regime – without VAT, without individual security. We take care of all the obligations of the authorised operator.
The space has been designed for the art market: 24/7 secure storage, a photo studio for artwork documentation, and a private viewing room for discreet appointments. Our teams also coordinate the transport to and from the warehouse, and manage export under customs supervision to any destination.
Who is the bonded warehouse intended for?
This service is intended for any art market player who imports works from third countries (outside the EU) and wishes to maintain flexibility before making a final decision on their destination.
Art galleries and dealers
The galleries participating in the major international art fairs — TEFAF, Frieze, Art Basel — regularly import works from the United States, Asia or the Middle East. The bonded warehouse allows them to consolidate their shipments in Brussels without VAT, prepare the works on site, and then transport them to the fair or re-export them directly if they do not find a buyer.
International private collectors
A collector who acquires a work in New York and has not yet made a decision – whether to reside in Belgium, have a second home in France, or resell it to a third party – can place it in bonded storage while they decide. No VAT will be payable until a decision is made.
Sales houses and intermediaries
Sales houses managing international consignments find bonded warehouses to be an agile inventory management tool. Works can be documented, photographed, appraised, and presented to potential buyers – without triggering any tax liability as long as no final decision has been made.
Store your works of art in a bonded warehouse in Brussels
Embelco is a licensed customs warehouse operator in Brussels. Our teams handle the entire process - entry under IM71 regulations, administrative management, and dispatch to your destination. No advance VAT. No individual deposit. No procedures to manage on your end.
FAQ
What is a bonded art warehouse?
A bonded warehouse is a facility approved by Belgian customs where your works can be stored without paying VAT or import duties. From a tax perspective, the goods are considered to be located outside the EU customs territory. This regime corresponds to the IM71 procedure in Belgium.
What is the difference between a bonded warehouse and temporary importation (IM53)?
Temporary importation (IM53) allows works to be brought in without VAT for a limited period, but requires a security deposit equivalent to the VAT – often held for several months. Customs warehousing does not require an individual security deposit: the approved operator bears the responsibility. Furthermore, there is no limit to the storage duration.
How long can goods be stored in a customs warehouse?
European regulations do not set a maximum duration for storage in a customs warehouse. Works can remain there until a decision is made: definitive importation, re-exportation or transfer to another approved warehouse.
Can one access their works in a customs warehouse?
Yes, under customs regulations. Any physical removal from the warehouse triggers a procedure. However, visits within the facility for documentation, photography or private presentations are possible without breaking the suspension regime. Our warehouse has a dedicated photo studio and presentation room for this purpose.
Is the VAT cancelled or merely deferred?
It is postponed. If the work is eventually imported into Belgium or the EU to be kept or sold there, VAT will be due at that time. If it is sent back to a third country, no Belgian VAT is due.
Does Embelco handle customs formalities for warehouse exit?
Yes, from start to finish. Entry declaration, followed by customs inventory, exit procedure – whether for definitive import, re-export, or transfer. Our teams also coordinate transport to the final destination.
Is this service suitable for galleries participating in fairs in Belgium?
This is one of the most common uses. A foreign gallery participating in BRAFA or Art Brussels can ship its works to our bonded warehouse, prepare them on-site, and then temporarily remove them for the duration of the fair under an ATA Carnet. Unsold pieces are returned to the warehouse or reshipped directly. We coordinate the entire process.