Personal and High-Value Transport: Explained
There are 2 ways of transporting diamonds:
- Personal transport
- High-value transport
PERSONAL TRANSPORT
As outlined in our earlier communication of 15 October on Personal Transport of Goods, personal transport of diamonds can be permitted, provided that the relevant legal, customs, VAT, and security requirements are met.
This applies, for example, when travelling to trade fairs, visiting clients, or personally carrying diamonds across borders, subject to compliance with the applicable conditions.
Example: This is when you transport the diamonds on your person.
AWDC Website: https://www.awdc.be/news/news/how-stay-compliant-when-personally-transporting-diamonds
HIGH-VALUE TRANSPORT
The other option is to work with a Certified high-value transport company, your third-party service providers (think Malca Amit, Brinks & Ferrari). High-value transport of diamonds has to abide by the following rules:
- Not allowed by private vehicle (personally owned vehicle).
- Not allowed by public transport.
- Not allowed via standard courier services (e.g., bpost, UPS, Micropakket, GLS,...). FedEx is the only transport company allowed, but ONLY via a third-party high-value transport company, like Malca Amit, Brinks, or Ferrari.
=> Only allowed via certified high-value transport
Example: This is when you ship diamonds to your clients.
What does this mean?
You cannot use a standard courier service; you have to work with a certified high-value one.
What is the risk?
The use of non-certified transport choices can expose you to:
- Legal and regulatory risks.
- Insurance and liability issues in case of loss or incident.
To summarize:
- Personal transport of diamonds is possible, provided all legal and documentary requirements are respected.
- Professional B2B transport services involving diamonds are, as a rule, subject to the obligation to use a certified high-value transporter.
- If you have questions about a specific transport scenario, our Helpdesk remains available every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 10 am to 1 pm.