Antwerp Diamond Office Import Process: How Diamond Imports into Belgium Work

Importing diamonds into Belgium does not follow exactly the same route as importing ordinary commercial goods. Belgium operates a specialised diamond-control system centred on the Diamond Office in Antwerp, where relevant diamond imports and exports are handled together with the Antwerp World Diamond Centre, the Federal Public Service Economy and Belgian Customs.

For a professional diamond trader, the process begins well before the parcel arrives in Antwerp. The importer must be properly registered, the commercial documents must accurately describe the goods, and any origin or sanctions documentation required for the shipment must already be available. When an extra-EU diamond parcel reaches the Diamond Office, the documentation and the physical goods are checked through a specialised procedure before the importer can take possession of the shipment.

The practical sequence is therefore straightforward: the importer establishes that the company can legally import diamonds, prepares the shipment and supporting documentation, routes the goods to Diamond Office, completes the required declaration, has the sealed parcel verified against the documents and receives the goods once the applicable controls are completed.

That is the single purpose of this guide: to explain how the Antwerp Diamond Office import process currently works for professional diamond trade.

What Is the Diamond Office in Antwerp?

Diamond Office is the specialised diamond import and export facility located at Hoveniersstraat 22 in Antwerp's diamond district. It forms part of AWDC's trade infrastructure but operates in close cooperation with two Belgian federal authorities: FPS Economy and FPS Finance, which includes Customs.

AWDC describes this as a three-part control system. Diamond Office assists with import and export declarations and administrative handling, FPS Economy supervises the physical verification of diamond shipments, and Customs performs the customs-control function. Accredited diamond experts carry out physical checks under government supervision.

This is why Diamond Office should not be described as a grading laboratory, diamond exchange or jewellery showroom. It is part of Belgium's specialised administrative and customs infrastructure for the diamond trade.

The distinction also explains why the older Dalila article answering only “What is the Diamond Office?” no longer needs to exist as a separate page. That explanation belongs naturally at the beginning of this import-process guide rather than competing for essentially the same search intent.

Who Can Import Diamonds Professionally Through Belgium?

Belgian diamond trade is regulated at trader level as well as shipment level. AWDC states that a diamond trader based in Belgium must register with the Licence Service of the FPS Economy when carrying out commercial activity in diamonds.

This registration creates the formal trader identity used within the Belgian diamond-supervision system. AWDC's current January 2026 procedure also states that only registered diamond traders can professionally import or export diamonds in Belgium.

For trade between Belgium and countries outside the European Union, an EORI number is also relevant because EU-established companies engaged in extra-EU customs activity require this customs identification number. The EORI is used in communication with EU customs authorities and should therefore be organised before the business attempts to operate an international diamond-import workflow.

For a jewellery retailer elsewhere in Europe sourcing from an Antwerp supplier, this does not necessarily mean the retailer itself will perform the Diamond Office procedure. Often the Belgian registered diamond company acts within the Antwerp import chain and subsequently supplies the cleared goods into the European market. The important commercial question is which party is actually acting as importer and therefore responsible for the applicable declarations and evidence.

Extra-EU and Intra-EU Diamond Shipments Are Treated Differently

The Diamond Office process becomes particularly important when diamonds arrive in Belgium from outside the European Union.

FPS Economy currently states that registered diamond traders must declare every extra-EU import and export falling within the relevant diamond tariff codes. The declaration includes the value, weight, qualification of the goods and documented origin or provenance. These declarations are made at Diamond Office in Antwerp.

The procedure is different once diamonds are already moving between EU Member States. Intra-EU diamond shipments can still be presented voluntarily to Diamond Office, but the FPS Economy declaration is not generally mandatory in the same way as an extra-EU import.

This distinction should remain clear throughout Dalila's content. An Antwerp Diamond Office import article should not imply that every diamond travelling from France, Germany or the Netherlands into Belgium goes through a compulsory extra-EU customs process.

The mandatory Diamond Office import-control route concerns the relevant goods entering Belgium from outside the European Union.

What Must Be Prepared Before the Shipment Arrives?

The import process works best when the paperwork reflects the physical shipment exactly.

AWDC's current import procedure requires the importer to present a proper commercial invoice identifying the seller and buyer and giving a detailed description of the goods. The documentation should allow the authorities and Diamond Office to understand the quantity, commercial value and other relevant shipment details.

For professional diamond businesses, vague descriptions such as “precious stones” or simply “diamonds” create unnecessary ambiguity. The commercial file should describe the shipment accurately enough to reconcile the documents with what is inside the sealed parcel.

For individually graded polished diamonds, grading-report references can also form part of the commercial records where applicable. For parcels or smaller goods, the documentation may instead focus on the aggregate quantity, weight, classification and relevant origin evidence.

The most important operational rule is that documentation should be resolved before dispatch. Asking the supplier for missing origin records after the shipment has already reached Antwerp can create avoidable customs delays.

How the Diamond Office Import Process Works After Arrival

AWDC's January 2026 import procedure provides a relatively clear description of what happens when a professional diamond parcel reaches Antwerp.

Diamond parcels destined for professional import through Belgium are addressed to the registered Belgian diamond company care of Diamond Office at Hoveniersstraat 22. Once the parcel reaches Diamond Office, the dealer is notified that the goods are available for processing.

The dealer then presents the relevant commercial invoice to the Customs Service at Diamond Office. The invoice needs to identify the parties and accurately describe the goods and commercial amounts. Diamond Office uses this information as part of preparing the required import formalities.

Once the documents are prepared, the sealed parcel moves to the expertise process. The parcel is opened so that the physical contents can be compared with the documentation. An acknowledged diamond expert performs the verification under the supervision of FPS Economy.

The purpose of this examination is not to give the diamond a retail grading report. It is to establish that the shipment being declared corresponds with the commercial description and the information being presented to the authorities.

When the parcel and its documentation correspond and the applicable formalities have been completed, the dealer signs the required receipt and can take possession of the goods.

That physical verification is one of the features that makes Antwerp's diamond-import infrastructure different from an ordinary parcel-clearance process.

What Happens if the Importer Is Not Sure What Is Inside the Parcel?

This is an important practical point that should be retained in the merged article.

AWDC has specifically warned importers that discrepancies between the shipment contents and the accompanying invoice can lead to delays and potentially enforcement consequences. This can create a problem where a supplier has prepared the shipment but the Belgian importer has not independently seen the goods before dispatch.

AWDC states that an importer can request to inspect the shipment before the goods go through customs clearance. Diamond Office should be informed before clearance if the importer wants to use that possibility.

For a professional trader, that can be valuable where the goods description, quantity or contents are uncertain. It allows a potential documentation mismatch to be identified before an inaccurate customs declaration is finalised.

The broader lesson is that the importer should never knowingly submit commercial information that cannot be reconciled with the actual shipment.

How Can Diamonds Physically Reach Diamond Office?

AWDC recognises several routes by which professional diamond goods may enter Belgium, including specialised transport or courier services, personal carriage and post.

For specialised transport, international diamond shipments commonly arrive through Brussels Airport at Zaventem before being moved under customs procedures to Diamond Office. Specialist transport companies familiar with diamond declarations can handle the transit between the airport and Antwerp while the parcel remains under the relevant customs controls.

Personal carriage involves additional responsibility because the trader bringing diamonds into the EU must declare them at the point where they enter EU customs territory. The goods then need to continue to Diamond Office using the appropriate transit procedure before the Belgian diamond-import formalities are completed.

Postal diamond shipments addressed through the Diamond Office process can likewise be received and held until the registered dealer attends with the necessary documentation.

The logistical route can therefore vary, but the commercial objective is the same: preserve the identity and integrity of the parcel until the required declaration and physical verification can take place.

Natural Polished Diamonds and the 2026 Origin Requirements

The origin-documentation rules for natural diamonds changed materially in 2026 and this section of Dalila's existing article required careful updating.

EU restrictions prohibit relevant Russian-origin diamonds and certain third-country processed goods containing Russian diamonds. For natural polished diamonds falling under CN code 7102 39 00, the consolidated EU regulation now states that mandatory traceability evidence, including a due-diligence statement confirming that the diamonds were not mined, processed or produced in Russia, applies from 24 April 2026.

This legal date matters because earlier industry guidance had prepared importers for a 1 January 2026 implementation. AWDC had already introduced its operational Due Diligence Statement process from the beginning of the year, but Council Regulation (EU) 2026/506 subsequently set 24 April 2026 as the legal application date for the mandatory traceability evidence requirement covering the relevant polished goods.

As of the visible review date of this article, importers of in-scope natural polished diamonds therefore need to work from the current 24 April 2026 legal position rather than repeating outdated pre-April guidance.

AWDC's current guidance for relevant polished imports requires the Due Diligence Statement on Diamond Origin to be supported by a reasonable, risk-based verification process. The importer needs to be able to substantiate its statement with the documentation reasonably available for the supply chain.

The authorities are not simply asking the importer to sign a sentence saying that the diamonds are non-Russian. The importer needs a defensible basis for making that statement.

AWDC has also reported that FPS Economy began conducting spot checks on in-scope polished-diamond imports in May 2026. Those checks can take place before customs clearance, and incomplete supporting documentation can prevent the shipment from clearing until the authorities are satisfied.

What Evidence Can Support the Due Diligence Statement?

The exact evidence available will depend on how the diamonds moved through the supply chain.

AWDC's current guidance explains that supporting material can include supplier declarations, commercial and transport records, relevant Kimberley Process or G7/GF records that can be linked through the chain, invoices, packing lists, customs records, laboratory reports where useful and internal stock-system records backed by source documentation.

The important concept is consistency.

If an importer records a country of mining origin in an internal system, it should also retain the material that supports that entry. A spreadsheet field stating “Botswana”, for example, is not strong evidence by itself if the company cannot demonstrate why it believes that origin is correct.

Likewise, a standard diamond grading report should not be presented as though it automatically proves mining origin. Gemological grading and supply-chain origin verification serve different purposes.

AWDC's current rules do not require every importer to use one compulsory blockchain or central digital traceability platform. The focus is instead on the Due Diligence Statement, the supporting evidence, the risk-based verification performed and the records retained by the importer.

Rough Diamonds Follow Additional Kimberley Process Controls

The rough-diamond import process should not be confused with the process for ordinary polished goods.

Rough diamonds are subject to the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme. AWDC's current procedures state that rough diamonds can only be imported and exported when accompanied by the required Kimberley Process certificate and traded between Kimberley Process participants.

Belgium is one of the EU locations authorised to perform the relevant rough-diamond verification through the Diamond Office infrastructure.

Current EU sanctions rules also impose additional origin and traceability requirements on relevant natural rough diamonds. For rough stones within the applicable threshold, the country or countries of mining origin and supporting evidence become important parts of the import file.

This is why Dalila should avoid general language such as “every diamond comes with a Kimberley Process certificate”. That is inaccurate for polished diamonds.

Kimberley Process certification specifically concerns the international trade in rough diamonds.

What Happens During the Physical Verification?

The physical check at Diamond Office should not be mistaken for gemological grading.

FPS Economy states that the declared value, weight and qualification of the diamonds are determined or verified by accredited experts operating under the supervision of government officials. AWDC's import procedure similarly explains that the sealed parcel is opened and the contents are checked against the invoice.

For the importer, this means that commercial documentation needs to make sense against the physical goods.

If the documents describe ten polished natural diamonds but the parcel contains a materially different quantity or type of goods, that discrepancy becomes a customs and compliance issue rather than an internal inventory problem.

The same principle applies to weight, description and other declared information.

A professional importer should therefore reconcile the supplier's invoice, packing information, origin file and transport documentation before the shipment reaches this stage.

Does Diamond Office Grade the Diamond?

No.

This distinction is important because “Diamond Office” can sound like a gemological institution to someone unfamiliar with Antwerp's trade infrastructure.

Diamond Office handles the specialised import and export process together with Belgian authorities. The experts performing physical verification are examining goods for the purposes of the official diamond-control procedure.

A grading laboratory such as GIA, HRD Antwerp or IGI performs a different function. A grading laboratory examines gemological characteristics and may issue a grading report for an individual diamond.

A stone can therefore pass through Diamond Office and separately have a GIA, HRD or IGI report.

Those are two different processes.

What Happens After Diamond Office Clearance?

Once the applicable customs, document and physical-control requirements are completed, the importer can take possession of the cleared goods.

At that point, the diamond becomes part of the company's normal commercial records and inventory process.

The import documentation should not then disappear into an unrelated archive.

A professional diamond business should maintain enough linkage between its supplier invoice, shipment reference, grading report where applicable, internal stock identity and required origin documentation to reconstruct the commercial history of the stone later.

This becomes useful not only for compliance. It can support later resale, supplier queries, stock audits, returns and customer documentation.

For in-scope 2026 origin requirements, the applicable supporting documentation also needs to be retained in accordance with current rules. AWDC's sanctions guidance currently specifies a five-year retention period for the relevant origin documentation.

What About VAT and Import Duties?

Diamond customs treatment in Belgium has sector-specific rules and should not be oversimplified into one sentence.

AWDC's January 2026 import guidance states that diamond categories are exempt from Belgian import duties, while VAT treatment depends on the importer and the applicable Belgian diamond-sector provisions. Registered Belgian diamond traders meeting the applicable conditions can benefit from specific VAT treatment for unmounted diamonds.

This does not mean every business importing a diamond into Belgium automatically pays no tax.

The relevant importer status, transaction and VAT provisions need to be considered correctly.

For commercial planning, buyers should therefore separate three questions: whether customs duty applies, how VAT is treated for the actual importer, and what Diamond Office administrative or expertise charges apply.

AWDC publishes Diamond Office service fees separately, so businesses should check the current tariff when planning a shipment rather than embedding an old fee permanently into an evergreen article.

Why the Antwerp Diamond Office Process Matters to European Jewellers

A retailer in Paris, Amsterdam, Milan or another EU city may never personally attend Diamond Office, yet the Antwerp import infrastructure can still matter to the diamonds it purchases.

When an Antwerp supplier imports natural diamonds from outside the European Union, the goods enter a specialised control environment before being released into Belgian and subsequently wider EU trade.

For a jewellery buyer, that does not mean Diamond Office guarantees that every commercial claim about every diamond is correct. It does not replace supplier due diligence, grading verification or the retailer's own purchasing controls.

Its value is more specific.

It provides a formalised import route where diamond goods, commercial documents and the applicable regulatory requirements are handled through a specialised Belgian system.

That is one of the practical reasons Antwerp remains important to professional natural-diamond sourcing.

The Dalila Approach to Diamond Imports and Sourcing

Dalila Diamonds operates within Antwerp's professional diamond ecosystem and works with natural diamonds for trade and private-client sourcing.

For diamonds entering Belgium from outside the European Union, the relevant import process, commercial documentation and current compliance requirements need to be resolved before the stone moves into stock or onward supply.

For European jewellers, the advantage of working with an Antwerp-based sourcing partner is not simply access to inventory. It is access to a market built around specialised diamond trading, secure logistics and a dedicated import-and-export infrastructure.

Where a retailer needs a particular natural diamond rather than a generic stock replacement, Dalila's sourcing process can begin with the required shape, carat, colour, clarity, measurements, grading preference and budget before the appropriate stone is located.

The importing and sourcing processes should support one another: first define the right diamond, then make sure the shipment and documentation are capable of moving correctly through the applicable trade route.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Antwerp Diamond Office?

Diamond Office is Antwerp's specialised facility for diamond import and export formalities. It operates with AWDC, FPS Economy and Belgian Customs and handles the declaration and physical-control process for relevant diamond shipments.

Where is Diamond Office located?

Diamond Office is located at Hoveniersstraat 22, 2018 Antwerp, in the centre of Antwerp's diamond district.

Do diamonds imported into Belgium from outside the EU have to go through Diamond Office?

For the professional diamond goods and tariff codes covered by Belgian diamond-trade rules, extra-EU imports must be declared through the Diamond Office process. FPS Economy publishes the relevant tariff codes and current procedure.

Do diamonds moving between EU countries have to go through Diamond Office?

Not generally. Intra-EU diamond shipments can be voluntarily declared and physically checked through Diamond Office, but the same compulsory extra-EU declaration requirement does not apply.

Who can professionally import diamonds in Belgium?

Belgium-based professional diamond traders must be registered with the FPS Economy. Extra-EU customs activity also requires the appropriate customs identification, including EORI where applicable.

What happens when a diamond parcel reaches Diamond Office?

The registered dealer is notified, the necessary commercial documentation is presented, the sealed parcel is physically checked against the documentation by an acknowledged expert under FPS Economy supervision, and the goods can be released once the applicable formalities are completed.

Does Diamond Office grade diamonds like GIA or HRD?

No. Diamond Office is part of Belgium's specialised import and export infrastructure. Gemological grading laboratories perform a separate function.

What changed for natural polished diamond imports in 2026?

Current EU law requires mandatory traceability evidence, including a due-diligence statement confirming non-Russian origin, for relevant natural polished diamonds under CN 7102 39 00 from 24 April 2026. Importers need supporting evidence for the statement rather than relying on an unsupported declaration.

Does every polished diamond need a Kimberley Process certificate?

No. Kimberley Process certification applies to international trade in rough diamonds. It should not be described as a universal certificate for polished diamonds.

Is a grading report proof of where a diamond was mined?

Not automatically. A standard grading report records gemological information. Mining-origin and sanctions-compliance evidence are separate supply-chain documentation questions.

Can an importer inspect a parcel before customs clearance?

AWDC states that an importer who is uncertain whether the parcel contents match the accompanying documents can request an inspection before customs clearance by informing Diamond Office in advance.

Does Diamond Office make every Antwerp diamond fully traceable?

No. It would be inaccurate to make that guarantee. Diamond Office provides a specialised declaration and control process, while the quality and extent of supply-chain traceability depend on the specific diamond and supporting documentation.

Final Answer

The Antwerp Diamond Office import process is a specialised procedure for professional diamond trade into Belgium. For an extra-EU shipment, the importer must first be properly registered and have the required commercial and compliance documentation ready. The diamond parcel is routed through Diamond Office, the declaration is prepared, and the sealed goods are physically checked against the supporting documentation under FPS Economy supervision before the shipment is released.

For natural polished diamonds within the current EU sanctions scope, the import file must also meet the applicable 2026 origin-traceability requirements. As of this article's review on 10 September 2026, mandatory traceability evidence including the Due Diligence Statement for relevant polished natural diamonds applies from 24 April 2026.

The most important practical principle is therefore simple: the diamond, invoice, declared value and weight, goods description and required origin evidence should agree before the parcel enters the clearance process.

For professional jewellers sourcing through Antwerp, understanding that process makes it easier to distinguish a simple diamond purchase from a properly documented international diamond transaction.

Source Natural Diamonds Through Antwerp with Dalila

Dalila Diamonds supports professional jewellers, diamond buyers and private clients sourcing natural diamonds through Antwerp.

Where a required stone is not available in current inventory, Diamond Source For You can be used to source against a defined requirement covering shape, carat, colour, clarity, proportions, grading preference and budget.

For trade enquiries, the sourcing conversation should begin before shipment so the commercial specification and required documentation can be considered together.