Belgium has strong business links with the UK, meaning that parcels are continually transported between the two - day in, day out. Seeing as Belgium is also home to the European Union HQ and is located just a short trip across the English channel, there are plenty of business agreements being done with British firms - which brings about large-scale trade links.
It's not only businesses and corporations accounting for shipments between the UK and Belgium, though, as consumers also send regular packages to friends and family there. As such, anyone looking to send a parcel from the UK to Belgium should take confidence in the fact that their package could well be one among hundreds or even thousands making their way across the channel.
That being said, there are still a few considerations which need to be heeded, as is the case with any package that heads out over national borders.
EU member countries
As Belgium and the UK are both EU member countries, movement of goods between the two is largely unrestricted. This means that many of the regulations in place for those sending packages to the US, Africa or Asia, for example, may not apply. Of course, no illegal goods can be shipped between the two, but most restrictions facing consumers will have actually been put in place by the courier themselves (such as a ban on flammable goods, alcohol or batteries).
Arms and radioactive material
All couriers will prohibit consumers from sending arms or radioactive material as it could put their workers' health in severe danger. It is exactly this reason why lawmakers in Belgium have also put in place a ban on such items. Whilst the chances are that few people have some polonium or AK-47s lying around they'd like to package up and send off, it's worth noting that such items would not only be restricted by the courier, but banned from entering Belgium anyway.
Biological matter
Sending living things across borders is always precarious as there's a real risk of contamination. Despite how it may appear through the likes of sprawling trade winds and migratory birds, the ecosystems of whole countries can be somewhat precarious. This balance needs to be upheld otherwise invasive plants or animals from overseas could end up destroying native wildlife. This is even true for anything that's not alive any more, such as bones or ashes, as they can contain pollutants on a microbial scale.
It is for this reason that many plants (and certainly most animals) are banned from entering Belgium without some water-tight documentation behind them.
Coins
Similar documentation will also be needed for anyone shipping certain coins to Belgium, at least if they are not legal tender there. Anyone with sufficient proof that states these coins are being shipped as part of a wider personal collection should find their shipment makes it through customs, but this is something which needs to be carefully undertaken as it could otherwise prove to be a very risky procedure indeed.
Thankfully there are precious few other restrictions when shipping to Belgium, thanks to the aforementioned EU trade freedom. Though, just to be on the safe side, it's always best to check before boxing up and addressing any shipment.