Benelux, Economy

Benelux calls on European Commission for legislation against Territorial Supply Restrictions

29 Sep. 2025

The Ministers of Economic Affairs of Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg have sent a joint letter to the European Commission ahead of the Competitiveness Council of the European Union. In it, they call for legislative action against territorial supply restrictions (also known as purchasing barriers). These practices prevent retailers from freely sourcing goods in other member states, leading to price differences and higher costs for SMEs and consumers.

During the Council meeting, the call received broad support from other member states, including Austria, Czechia, Greece, Slovenia, and Croatia. These countries endorsed the Benelux position and also advocated for European legislation to tackle these unjustified trade practices.

Territorial supply restrictions are considered by the European Commission to be among the ten most persistent obstacles to the internal market, as highlighted in the Internal Market Strategy of May 2025.

The issue has been on the Benelux agenda for years and recently gained renewed attention through the Letta Report on the future of the internal market. A previous study commissioned by the European Commission estimated the annual additional costs caused by these restrictions at €14 billion, primarily to the detriment of consumers.