Cyclists get more
From 1 January 2024, the maximum bike allowance for employees who cycle to work will increase to 0.35€ (up from 0.27€ per kilometre). The tax office decided to increase this amount to further encourage bike use among commuters. A tax cap of 2,500€ per year in bike allowance was also created, which corresponds to 7142 kilometres per year under the new maximum allowance. Currently, the minimum bike allowance [...]
Sick leave trumps legal holidays from 2024
As of 1st January 2024 an employee falling sick during their legal holidays can request to transform these days off into sick leave, if they provide a medical certificate from the first day of illness and inform the employer about their location. These holidays will then be usable at a later date. If the days cannot be taken by the end of the year, they will be paid [...]
Don’t forget to record employee expense claims in the payroll before mid January 2024
Remember that work-related expenses reimbursed by the employer to the employee (such as reimbursement of travel expenses, parking tickets, office supplies etc.) must appear on the employee's tax form 281.10 since the income year 2022 (for filing in 2023). They are considered as tax-free but need to be displayed for transparency and tax evasion prevention reasons. You can add these amounts every year in December or at the latest [...]
Staff Training: The Federal Learning Account
The right to professional training has been in place since October 2022. The number of days that each employee is entitled to depends on the size of the employer and their sector. Non-profit organisations from CPs 337 and 329 should follow these rules: The right to training does not apply to organisations with fewer than 10 staff members. Organisations with 10 to 19 staff members should provide 1 day [...]
Belgium Parliament adopts a vast package of new employment rules
There's a new employee right to disconnect. Organisations with more than 20 employees will need to update their work regulations before 31st January 2023, setting out the organisation's policy when it comes to using digital and communications tools outside of the regular working hours. Compressed hours have been a possibility for several years already, where you squeeze your 38 hours into 4 rather long days rather than [...]
Employees MUST work from home until 27 April 2022
Government guidelines published on 27 January 2022 extend the requirement to work from home until 27 April 2022 (as long as you can actuallydo your job from home). As before a maximum of 20% of employees can be present at any one time in the workplace. Arrêté royal modifiant l'arrêté royal du 28 octobre 2021 portant les mesures de police administrative nécessaires en vue de prévenir ou... (Moniteur belge, [...]
Salary restraint rules – cap of 0.4% for 2021-2022
This week, the Council of Ministers approved the draft texts for the salary restraint rules for 2021 and 2022. As expected, there will be a maximum average increase in salary costs of 0.4% in addition to indexations and barometric increases. The salary margin determines the maximum increase in the average salary cost per employee for two years. The maximum evolution of the wage costs amounts to 0.4% [...]
No more working from home declaration from July 2021
Since April 2021, all employers have had to complete a monthly working from home report in order to help ensure that the rules were followed. As of July 1, 2021, working from home is no longer mandatory but is still recommended by the authorities. The end of compulsory working from home also means the end of the working from home declarations. From July 2021, and for the [...]
New law extending compassionate leave to 10 days
A new law in Belgium has extended the period of paid compassionate leave from 3 to 10 days for the death of the spouse or a cohabiting partner or his/her child. This is paid by the employer. The time off is allocated as follows: Three days, to be chosen by the employee from the period beginning on the day of death and ending on the day of the [...]
New fixed mileage allowance for civil servants
As of July 1, 2021, federal employees will receive a flat-rate allowance of EUR 0.3707 per kilometer for the use of their personal vehicle for business purposes. This amount is valid for the period from July 1, 2021 to June 30, 2022. All other employers may use the same amount when employees make work trips with their personal vehicles. Source SDWORX
Coronavirus and international employment: work-at-home days do not count for determining in which country social security is due
Until December 31, 2021, the Belgian authorities do not take into account the days worked from home due to Coronavirus for the determination of the applicable social security legislation. As a general rule, an employee must pay social security in the country of employment on the basis of European rules. However, when an employee works at least 25% in his or her country of residence, s/he has [...]
Coronavirus: Belgium extends tax agreements with neighbouring countries until September 30, 2021
The tax agreement that Belgium concluded last year was valid until June 30, 2021. An employee’s professional income is usually taxed in the country where he or she is employed (with certain exceptions). However, due to the coronavirus crisis, many employees can no longer cross the border to work abroad for their employer. As a result, these employees are no longer taxable in the country of regular [...]
Minimum wage of 1,700 euros allowing corona flexibility
Employers and unions have at last reached a national agreement on a series of crucial issues. The minimum wage will be raised to €1700 from April 2022. The age at which employees can take early retirement will not drop below 60. The end-of-career time credit system will be possible from the age of 55. Corona overtime hours, renamed stimulus overtime, will be extended to all companies until the [...]
Federal coronavirus aid measures extended until 30 September
The Belgian Government has agreed to extend a series of coronavirus aid measures to 30 September. The measures include: Since 9 June working from home is no longer compulsory but the return to work should be gradual, limiting interaction and respecting the 1m50 social distancing rules. The COVID allowance of up to 144.31 euros can still be paid to employees who work from home in July, August and [...]
Even when employees are sick, most of them are still willing to help out if they can
When employees are off sick, most employers tend not to contact their absent staff believing that they need a proper rest to get better. However this could be a missed opportunity as a survey commissioned by Mensura and Certimed found that 8 out of 10 employees are open to staying in touch with work and are even willing to help limit the additional workload that may have [...]
Living, working and COVID19
During these times of long crisis, a study by Eurofound has shown a decline in mental health and trust in government across the EU between 2020 and 2021. Here are the highlights: All age groups register a low mental well-being, especially young people. The number of people who have difficulties in making ends meet has increased during the pandemic. Trust in national governments is declining as well [...]
New Corona bonus of 500 euros
The federal government is proposing that companies that did well during the 2020 pay their employees a non-compulsory "corona bonus" of up to 500 euros net in the form of checks along the line of the eco checks and lunch voucher model. They will have a short validity so that the money is spent quickly in local shops. The amount of 500 euros is a maximum. The bonus [...]
Return to the office in June; Working from home no longer compulsory
Beginning June 9, you will be able to progressively schedule comeback sessions for up to 20% of your staff at the same time. Each employee will be able to come to work once a week. For SMEs with fewer than 10 employees, a maximum of 5 employees can be present at the same time. Corona tests are recommended but not compulsory. As of July 1, working from [...]
Corona tips: Appropriate ventilation at low cost
The pandemic has reminded everyone of the importance of good ventilation and airing rooms. But what policies do you need to put in place as an employer to minimise the risk of infection in the workplace? The Corona Commission has produced a handy guide to indoor air quality including tips, a step-by-step plan and a checklist. To limit the risk of contamination through poor air quality, the [...]
Five reasons you should invest in training your team
Employee retention: training employees to fit organisation roles creates opportunities to retain motivated employees who already know your organisation’s culture, have knowledge and experience of your organisation, and also know its history; Reduced recruitment costs: investing in employees increases loyalty and interest in the job so they stay longer; Good PR and attraction of top talent: Top employees want to stay the best and continue to develop throughout [...]
Back to the office in June? Get ready now
According to Attentia, staff working from home will be able to gradually return to the workplace starting in June. Start preparing now so you can be safe and efficient. Two main focus points: The number of employees in the office If everyone returns to the workplace at the same time, it probably won’t be possible to maintain sufficient distance and air quality. Coordinate among your team, set up a [...]
Resignations are down in the Belgian workforce
No surprises here but a confirmation from a Securex study: In 2020 employees played it safe by holding on to their jobs in this health crisis. Job opportunities are lower because of the crisis and employees, despite questioning their role within their company, prefer to play it safe," analyzes Guillaume Bosmans, HR research expert at Securex. "When the crisis is over, we should expect a more dynamic recovery of [...]
The mobility budget, what is it and how do you use it?
The mobility budget applies to all employees that have a car company or that are eligible to have one. What’s the mobility budget all about? It allows employees to transfer their “company car budget” into a flexible mobility budget for private mobility It’s optional: employers & employees can choose it if it works for them It gives employers the freedom to define which transport options [...]
Taxing employees working from home in countries bordering Belgium
Belgium has now extended its tax agreements with all neighbouring countries (France, Germany, The Netherlands and Luxembourg) so that any employee who is currently on a Belgian payroll but working from home due to Corona in any of these countries will continue to pay tax in Belgium as if he or she was actually in Belgium. This agreement applies until 30 June 2021. Background Belgium has concluded a double [...]
Start your own Business Seminar : 20 May 2021
Start your own business in Belgium - Online Edition Thursday 20 May 2021 Welcome to the 2021 edition of Belgium's premier business start up event. This event is dedicated to helping you set up your business in Belgium. This half day seminar takes you through all the practical and essential steps you need to take to get your business up and running. Local Knowledge has teamed up with ING, The [...]
Working from home – here’s how to stay sane!
The Louvain4Work team have produced a new paper on staying sane while working from home. Composed of an interdisciplinary consortium of UCLouvain professors and researchers who study different aspects of work in the context of their research the short guide contains some useful tips on how to cope with this prolonged period of home working. You can read the report here: Tips on Working from Home and find out [...]
All temporary unemployment measures rolled forward to 30 June 2021
Employers can continue to use the Corona temporary unemployment measures but only if they have used the scheme for at least 20% of regular working hours during April, May and June 2020. If not, they need to use the regular temporary unemployment scheme which requires proof of loss of revenue. These new rules have not yet been published in the Official Journal but they are expected to come in [...]
Quarantine after your summer holidays?
What happens if one of your employees has to quarantine for two weeks when they get back from holiday? If she or he can't work from home then his/her employment contract is considered to be suspended for the duration of the quarantine. You can hire a temp or a student to fill in for the duration of the quarantine period. Source: Partena Professional
Extension of validity of meal vouchers and eco-vouchers?
Due to the coronavirus epidemic (COVID-19), the Belgian government took exceptional and temporary measures and closed many shops and all restaurants. This has had a significant impact on employees' ability to spend meal vouchers, eco-vouchers, and gift vouchers. They have all now been extended by 6 months. This will be processed automatically on an employee's individual card. Source: viabelgium
Maternity leave
The law now grants fifteen weeks of maternity leave to all mothers, even those who had to stop work early. […]
Lunch vouchers and other cheques – extended validity
The royal decree published on 4 June confirms that the validity of any lunch vouchers, ecocheques or 'cheques-cadeaux' that were due to expire between March and June 2020 will be extended for a further 6 months. This will be automatic for all electronic cheques. For sports and culture cheques which would have expired on 30 September, the new expiry date will be 31 December 2020. Source: SD Worx [...]
Temporary unemployment for coronavirus extended until 30 June
The Government will extend the temporary unemployment measures for a further month when they expire on 31 May. […]
Special corona parental leave for May/June 2020
Employees who have been working for at least one month can reduce their working schedule by 1/5th or ½ for their children under 12, during the period from 1st May to 30th June 2020 included. This coronavirus parental leave won’t be deducted from their regular parental leave entitlement and the ONEM allowance will be 25% higher. The employer should approve the leave first; the employee must submit a request [...]
Start your own Business Seminar 2020
Start your own business in Belgium - Online Edition Thursday 14 May 2020 Welcome to 2020 edition of Belgium's premier business start up event. This event is dedicated to helping you set up your business in Belgium. This half day seminar takes you through all the practical and essential steps you need to take to get your business up and running. Local Knowledge has teamed up with ING, The Bulletin, [...]
Employing students
As you know, it is relatively inexpensive to employ students in Belgium because you and they pay less social security than other employees – the employer pays 5.42 % of gross salary and the student pays 2,71 %. From now on however the ONSS may ask you to provide proof that the person you employ is actually a student. So when you’re setting everything up, make sure to ask them to [...]
Get work permits faster
The Belgian authorities have recently taken a series of measures to speed up the work permit application process. Last year the authorities introduced a single permit (permis unique in French, gecombineerde vergunning in Dutch) which combines the work and residence permits (managed by two different authorities). This was done to speed things up in the long run but in fact the effect was to dramatically increase the processing time. [...]
Holding your General Assembly: New COVID-19 rules for companies and non-profits
Over the last weekend, the Belgian Minister of Justice Koen Geens, adopted a special decree to enable companies and associations registered in Belgium to meet their legal obligations with respect to their governance meetings which are generally legally required before 30 June each year. There are three options on the table: 1. Hold the General Assembly on the date provided for by the statutes "in compliance with the quarantine [...]
Belgian Ministry of Finance postpones all reporting and payment deadlines
The Belgian Federal Ministry of Finance has just announced a series of measures for all self-employed people ('independent') to help us through the COVID-19 pandemic. The deadline for quarterly VAT submissions has been postponed until 7 May 2020 (instead of 20 April) The payment of your VAT is automatically delayed by two months, without risking a fine, until the 20 June 2020 The payment of your withholding tax is also [...]
Coronavirus action points for employers
If your business has collapsed or is experiencing a dramatic decrease in sales following the special measures introduced in Belgium on 13 March you can temporarily make your staff unemployed. They will be immediately eligible for unemployment benefit (65% of salary up to €2754.76 per month) for a period of up to 3 months (this can be extended if necessary).th […]
Coronavirus action points for self-employed
If your business has collapsed following the special measures introduced in Belgium on 13th March you can apply to have your social security payments delayed. Apply via your social insurance agency (the organisation that sends you an invoice every quarter for social contributions).
Adaptation of legislation in Brussels and Wallonia for single work permits for highly qualified and director level employees
Legislation on work permits is a shared competence of the different regions and the Federal level. In other words, each region can imprint its own accent on a national level template. Flanders has already done so at the beginning of the year. Brussels and Wallonia now follow suit. Under the adapted rules The maximum duration of a work permit is 3 years for all regions The Brussels and Walloon [...]
Increase of 1.1% for private sector employees as of September
A salary agreement has been signed for the 55,000 employers and the 450,000 or so employees of Joint Committee No. 200. Their purchasing power will increase by 1.1% on 1 September 2019. This increase can be converted (in whole or in part) into an equivalent benefit. As of July 1, 2020, granting the bicycle allowance, already used by many employers for those employees who cycle to work, will be [...]
First GDPR fine in Belgium
A local Belgian mayor was fined €2000 for having used e-mail addresses obtained for the exercise of his office for electoral campaign purposes. This is the first financial penalty imposed in Belgium for non-compliance with the European General Regulations on Data Protection (GDPR), better known by the abbreviation GDPR. The Data Protection Authority (ODA), the former Commission for the Protection of Privacy, sees this "moderate" fine as a message [...]
The ONSS is inflexible in case of late DIMONA for student
Not introducing a "student" Dimona statement on time, will cost you. Late hours of work are not earmarked for the 475-hour student quota. Ordinary ONSS contributions are deducted from the remuneration granted for these hours. The Dimona declaration must be submitted no later than the first day of the relevant work period. Source: Paterna professional
Unique training for Brussels based NGO leaders
Bringing the whole team with you INTRODUCTION With hundreds of international NGOs and Association Secretariats, Brussels is the most INGO crowded city in Europe. Collaborative groups across NGOs regularly share knowledge, skills and competencies to increase their impact and be more effective while reaching their organisational goals. But how often to NGO leaders come together for training and peer learning? Although fora exist where challenges can be aired and [...]
Employers may pay too many social contributions
Around 4% of workers are entitled to an ONSS reduction that is not applied. The average amount to be recovered through this reduction is of €2200. Hopefully it is still time to get your old ONSS reductions back! Acerta explains all about how employers can beneficiate from a full range of subventions for their employees in its article "Récupérer les réductions ONSS du passé ? Il n’est pas trop tard !" [...]
New measures for British citizens working and living in Belgium
Belgium has taken new measures to ensure continuity of residence and employment rights of British citizens assuming that the UK may leave the European Union without any agreement on 30 March 2019. The Belgian Ministerial Council approved the draft text on Friday 18 January but it is not yet final. British people already resident in Belgium will be treated as if they continued to be EU citizens until 30 [...]
Paternity leave for the self-employed
We've been talking about it for a while and it should soon be a reality – paternity leave for the self-employed. The new law makes provision for self-employed fathers to enjoy a paid paternity leave of 10 days along with a €79 allowance per day. And in case one the father can’t take it, he can take titres-services/dienst-cheques instead. Read the full article by l'Echo (only available in FR). [...]
BREXIT: The deadline approaches
The Brexit deadline, set for 29th March 2019, will soon be upon us. Meanwhile there is still no deal. Regardless of the deal-no-deal situation the good news is that Brexit won't affect taxation of professional incomes. This is because these rules are governed by a bilateral tax treaty and not by EU rules. To get a more concrete picture of the potential consequences of a hard Brexit, you can [...]
More than half of Belgian workers are overweight
A study conducted by the IDEWE Group, specialised in work accident prevention and protection, shows staggering figures regarding Belgian workers' weight. Based on the analysis of the medical data of over 200 000 workers, the survey reveals that over half of the Belgian workers are overweight (54,6%) and 1 in 5 workers (18,8%) are obese – the trend is rising. The difference between sectors is also striking: the transportation [...]
Have you paid too much in employer social contributions?
According to Acerta, around 4% of employees are entitled to an ONSS reduction that is not applied. The average amount that could be recovered through this reduction is €2200. Hopefully you still have time to get your old ONSS reductions back! Acerta explains all about how employers can benefit from a range of subsidies for their employees. Read the article (Only available in FR). — Source: Acerta [...]
WLTP: What to know about the new car consumption test
The WLTP (Worldwide Harmonized Light Vehicles Test Procedure) is a new compulsory test procedure for cars, which will lead to an overall increase in a car’s carbon emission value. This will have a knock on effect on the circulation tax, the calculation of the benefit in kind, the deductibility of cars expenses from corporate income tax and the carbon solidarity contribution. Read more about the WLTP (Only available in [...]
New per diem conditions
Since 1st September 2017, the per diem amounts and conditions for federal employees have significantly changed. This matters as many employers in the private and non-profit sector use these amounts for their own employees. It was confirmed recently that the new amounts and conditions also apply. Read more here (Only available in FR). — Source: SD Workx
SEMINAR: Start your own business #2018
Thanks to all who came and contributed to making our annual seminar on how to set up a business in Belgium such an amazing event. Over 70 participants came together to pick up some practical tips and to hear from other entrepreneurs’ experiences. Looking forward to keeping in touch and hearing how you are all getting on! Subscribe to our newsletter to keep informed about our next events! Thanks [...]
JOB VACANCY: Could you be our next Client Coordinator?
JOB OBJECTIVE The Client Coordinator provides end to end operational support & advice to our clients managing all their administrative issues across HR, finance and general office support Tasks vary from client to client but can include, payroll filing, maintenance of current Work Regulations, reviewing candidates in the context of recruitment processes, maintaining records of income and expenditure and preparing documents for filing in the Belgian Official Journal. Prior [...]
“Cash for car” allowance now available
The law introducing the mobility (or cash for car) allowance came into force in May 2018. Employees with a company car that they can also use for private use can now give it back and get paid more instead without this income being treated by the tax and social security authorities as regular salary. The mobility allowance is calculated on the basis of the returned vehicle's catalogue value and [...]
New notice periods during the first 6 months
On 4 May 2018 new notice periods came into effect for contracts signed from 1 May onwards. The effect of the new rules is to reduce the notice period that employers must give employees during the first 6 months of occupation. In the first three months the employer will now have to give just 1 weeks notice rising to 3 weeks notice after three months, 4 weeks notice after [...]
Not so much flexibility at work after all
Four employees in ten are too scared to ask for a flexible work pattern, fearing that if they do, they be passed over for promotion at another point in their career. The study by Mercer makes the claim on the basis of interviews with 7600 managers. Links: Only available in FR – Flexibilité au travail : 4 employés sur 10 inquiets pour leur promotion (communiqué de presse de Mercer) [...]
1 in 4 contracts ends in separation within 12 months
Despite the time and effort that goes into recruiting and inducting new staff members, a quarter of newly hired permanent employees leave within a year, usually at the request of the new staff member, according to an analysis of 44,000 contracts conducted by Acerta. The problem is often due to poor integration of the new employee into their team Links: Only available in FR – Un quart des CDI [...]
Personal use of company mobile phone not automatically taxed as a benefit in kind
The finance minister recently made waves by stating that no benefit in kind need be applied for a mobile phone provided to employees as long as the latter pay the costs related to personal use. These costs could be established with a system of split billing or by setting a realistic amount. Links: Only available in FR – Outils IT : les nouveaux forfaits confirmés au niveau social…mais incertitude [...]
Be precise on the reasons for contract termination
When you dismiss an employee, he or she has the right to know the exact reasons. To avoid future discussion or even a court case, it is best to specify the precise reasons for the dismissal on the C4. Obligation to justify the dismissal – A clear C4 may be sufficient Since 1st April 2014, a dismissed employee has the right to know the concrete reasons which led to [...]
No light at the end of the tunnel yet for the Flemish labour market
The labour shortage in the Flemish market could last another decade according to Steunpunt Werk (KU Leuven). Some 800.000 employees aged 50 plus are getting closer to retirement, but their replacement is far from guaranteed. This is partly because young people start working later, and partly because the employment rate has already reached 85% for some intermediate categories of employment –only Sweden has a higher rate of employment. Links: [...]
Reduction in social security contribution rates
Among the many measures proposed by Belgium’s ‘taxshift’ measures, is the gradual decrease in social security contributions paid by self-employed. of the independent workers gradually decreases. This year the final phase has come into effect with a new, lower rate of 20.5% on professional income. This rate applies to all self-employed people. 2018 social security contributions The table gives an overview of the basic social security contributions per quarter [...]
Better protection for self-employed who are unable to work due to illness or accident
From 1 January 2018, the self-employed who are unable to work due to illness or an accident will get support from their mutuelle (social security fund) sooner. The ‘waiting period’ (non-compensable period) has decreased from 1 month to 14 days. This means that from your 15th day of incapacity you will be supported by the mutuelle. As a result you should inform your mutuelle of illness within 14 calendar days [...]
New reduction thresholds for provisional ONSS contributions starting in 2018
In the past, self-employed workers who wanted to reduce their contributions after experiencing a drop in income were often unable to do so. To try to make it easier for people to take account of fluctuations in their income, the Government has introduced 4 new reduction thresholds (to add to the 2 existing thresholds) so that more people can adjust their contributions to match their actual income. The new [...]
Possibility to increase the value of gifts from employers to employees
In principle, gifts correspond to salary An employer can give a gift in kind – in money or as voucher – to employees. These gifts correspond in principle to salary and are subject to social security contributions. However, they are exempt from these contributions under certain conditions. Exemptions The main condition is the maximum amount per gift. See the new amounts in the table below. Read the full article (only [...]
Introduction of a profit-share bonus
Since 1st January 2018, employees can benefit from a new profit-share bonus which has attractive tax conditions as long as the rules are followed. Read more about this new bonus in profits (Only available in FR and NL). — Source: SD Worx
Come and work for Local Knowledge!
We have a vacancy for a part time HR coordinator (maternity cover) from 1 April - 15 July 2017 with the possibility of extension. Precise hours/days are negotiable. As our HR coordinator you will file payroll for clients, keep our clients' work regulations up to date, advise clients on HR questions and undertake a range of administrative and organisational tasks. You should be known for your organisational capacity, your attention [...]
Have you overestimated your state pension in Belgium?
According to a study by Securex, most self employed people in Belgium overestimate the amount that they think they will get when they retire by 25%. A survey showed that most freelancers thought they would get over €1000 per month whereas the true figure is closer to €800.
Do you use your own car for work?
The amount you can claim per kilometre is currently 0.3363€. As long as you stick to this amount, no tax or social security is due on the payment although you need to keep a record of where you went and when. This amount applies until June 30 2017.
Paid education leave
All employees in Belgium are entitled to paid education leave. Each region has now identified a list of sectors and jobs where a labour shortage exists. If an employee follows a course linked to one of these jobs where there is a labour shortage they are now entitled to 180 hours per year of paid education leave. (The previous limit was 100/120 hours per year). The list for the Brussels [...]
New tax for lazy people (we’re talking bikes here)
Since 1 October 2016 fast electric bikes (top speed 45 km/h), have been allocated a new legal status – they are now considered as mopeds (bike with an engine) rather than bicycles. The major consequence of this change is the end of the total tax exemption for the employer on the bike allowance. Electric bikes can still open the right to an allowance of 0.22 EUR per kilometer but this [...]
Don’t get burnt by the burn out rules
Overwhelmed by work? The burn out epidemic continues and the Ministry of Employment is starting to organize regular inspections to ensure employers comply with legislation regarding burn out prevention (Since September 2014 every employer must develop a set of measures to prevent burn out and other psychosocial risks at work by doing a psychosocial risks analysis, creating processes for employees to submit requests for intervention, selecting a prevention [...]
EMPLOYING STUDENTS
From 1 January 2017, students can work up to 475 hours per year (up from 50 days per year regardless of the number of hours per day worked). The effect will be to enable students to work for more hours whilst remaining within the limits for reduced social contributions (which are paid by the employer). A new online system will come into operation at the same time enabling students to [...]
Should you set up in Belgium post BREXIT?
The UK's vote to leave the EU will inevitably mean several years of detailed neg-otiations on everything from technical guidelines for thousands of products, rules on whether and how British people can live in work in the EU in the future and vice versa. One of the surest ways of insuring your business against years of uncertainty is to set up a company in Belgium now. This is simple [...]
What do successful grads think you should study?
Learn to think smart. Etiam consectetur odio erat, quis mattis leo vestibulum non. Fusce ex ligula, tristique quis finibus sed, placerat sed libero. Phasellus convallis, sem ac tristique interdum, purus purus vehicula quam, ut fermentum sem orci in est. Aliquam leo purus, iaculis non condimentum hendrerit, vestibulum quis tortor. Vestibulum quis viverra felis. Vestibulum elementum magna ut diam placerat, in venenatis est egestas. Vivamus at libero auctor, ullamcorper libero [...]
Former student discusses success in the fashion industry
My success is no accident. Etiam consectetur odio erat, quis mattis leo vestibulum non. Fusce ex ligula, tristique quis finibus sed, placerat sed libero. Phasellus convallis, sem ac tristique interdum, purus purus vehicula quam, ut fermentum sem orci in est. Aliquam leo purus, iaculis non condimentum hendrerit, vestibulum quis tortor. Vestibulum quis viverra felis. Vestibulum elementum magna ut diam placerat, in venenatis est egestas. Vivamus at libero auctor, ullamcorper [...]
How do you best prepare for university?
Focus on exam results. Etiam consectetur odio erat, quis mattis leo vestibulum non. Fusce ex ligula, tristique quis finibus sed, placerat sed libero. Phasellus convallis, sem ac tristique interdum, purus purus vehicula quam, ut fermentum sem orci in est. Aliquam leo purus, iaculis non condimentum hendrerit, vestibulum quis tortor. Vestibulum quis viverra felis. Vestibulum elementum magna ut diam placerat, in venenatis est egestas. Vivamus at libero auctor, ullamcorper libero condimentum, [...]
Start your own Business 2016
Our annual seminar where you can find out for free in English all you need to know about setting up a business in Belgium will take place on Tuesday April 26th this year. Further details to follow but save the date and email me to pre-reserve yourself space. See you there,
Read this to find out what’s really happening with entrepreneurship in Belgium
With thanks to Pierre-Nicolas who writes, "Recent articles in newspapers pointed the decrease of firm creation in Belgium, especially in the Southern part of the country when the creation rate was said to have decreased 11.2%. We downloaded the figures from BeStat, the official repository of statistical figures for Belgium, and the reality looks slightly different. " Read on for more details.
A new low for government inefficiency
Or is it a new high (est) ever level? We received a letter the other day from a Ministry in Wallonia informing us that our letter had been received but according to some Administrative Decision they could only respond to registered post. We were therefore kindly requested to re-send our letter, this time by registered post so that they could reply to it. You couldn’t make it up! Share your [...]
Belgian Government moves to limit self-employed status
Several years after introducing framework legislation on what qualifies as employee status and what qualifies as self-employed status the Belgian government has defined nine specific criteria to determine an individual’s working status. From 1st January the criteria will apply to manual workers only (cleaners, construction workers, security guards and transport workers) although the government may well extend the sectors covered by the legislation subsequently. […]
Business Expenses
We are often asked by our clients starting out in business what they can and can't deduct as business expenses. There is no list in Belgium setting out what can and cannot be deducted. However, personal expenses are not deductible if they are nothing to do with work. To discourage the practice, the Belgian government introduced a 309% tax on any personal expenses booked as business expenses. Now we [...]
Training opportunities for women
Are you starting your own business? Are you a woman? Can you understand French? If you answered yes to all three, then you may want to sign up for some of the training opportunities provided by Bruxelles Pionnières. From November 2012 to June 2013 they will be running a series of half and full day sessions (in French) on a range of challenges faced by starter companies. Contact Bruxelles Pionnières [...]
Top 4 reasons for doing business in Belgium
A recent report by Ernst & Young provides some insight into what makes Belgium an attractive place for foreign investors to do business. […]
Female Board Pool Belgium launch conference on 24 September in Brussels
Join a unique network and database for board-ready and board-experienced women:Launch conference on 24 September in Brussels Become part of a female talent pool to gain access to European board rooms - be it corporates, state-owned companies, SMEs, NGOs, or associations. For more information, and to register online, go to: http://www.cleverland-communications.com/gender-equality Following its success in Switzerland and Luxembourg, the Female Board Pool is branching out to Belgium as an initiative of [...]
“Are we there yet?…”
Measuring success in not only for profit organisations. Anyone who has been on a long journey with small children will recognise the refrain which usually starts 10 minutes into a 3 or more hour trip “Are we there yet, mum/dad?...”. Fortunately, the driver usually does know where they are going, and nowadays we often have a GPS to make sure of the route. However, when you are running a small business or not for [...]
Bonus schemes in Belgium
If you are planning to set up a bonus scheme for your employees that relates to 2012 organisational objectives, you need to file your plan before 30 April 2012. […]
What’s the weather like today in Brussels?
If you're coming to Brussels to do business, check out the weather here before you travel. Introducing our favourite (and most accurate) weather forecast for Brussels.
Register your NGO online – update Nov 2012
The online registration facility for ASBL/VZW registration in Belgium is now operational. The link to the new registration site is https://www.egreffe.be/evzw/fr/homepage for French and https://www.egreffe.be/evzw/nl_BE/homepage for Dutch. The process is not available for AISBL (international association) registration since a notary and a Royal Decree are requirements for this process.
Start-up Mini-Session: Company or Freelancer?
Would you like to start your own business but aren’t sure where to start? Come to a Local Knowledge seminar and find out everything you need to know. More details and Booking >>
Calculate how much your company car will cost you in 2012
One of Belgium's payroll agencies, Partena, has published a useful tool that allows you to see how much your company car is going to cost you in 2012 under new tax rules which came into force on 1st January 2012. The new rules calculate the taxable value of your car based on four criteria: CO2 emissions, the catalogue value of the car, the type of fuel used and the distance [...]
Bulgarians and Romanians need work permits until 2014
The new Belgian Government has announced that the existing transitional measures in place requiring Bulgarian and Romanian nationals to apply for work permits in Belgium prior to taking up employment, have been extended to 31 December 2013.
Start Your Own Business 2012
Following 2011’s sell out event, Local Knowledge is once again running a half day seminar on how to set up and run a business in Belgium with the support of ING and The Bulletin magazine. Don’t miss out on Belgium’s premier business start up event, dedicated to helping expats set up businesses in Belgium. This half day seminar takes you through the practical and essential steps you need to take [...]
“Brussels Pioneers”, the event for women entrepreneurs in Brussels
Local Knowledge is proud to be associated with an open day organised by “Brussels Pioneers” this 28 November. The event, in association with Cleverland, aims to help women to start their own business, to return to a job after a career break or to organize their long-term expatriation. […]
Establish your bank holidays for 2012 now
As those of you who are employers in Belgium know, you must establish replacement days for any bank holiday that falls on a Saturday or Sunday in 2012 before 15th December 2011. […]
Adaptation of notice periods for employees
The Claeys formula, named after the Belgian employment lawyer who devised it, is often used in Belgium to determine the length of notice for employees earning a salary above €30,535 gross (amount in 2011) per year. It has recently been adapted and we outline the main changes below. […]
Find out how to start your own business
Would you like to start your own business but aren’t sure where to start? Come to a Local Knowledge seminar and find out everything you need to know. […]
EU Blue Card – now in Belgium
EU Blue Card – entry into force in Belgium The Belgian Government is completing the final steps in the transposition of EU legislation that would allow highly skilled non EU nationals to live and work more easily in Belgium as part of a common EU effort to attract highly skilled migrants. […]
Local Knowledge start your own business info sessions
Local Knowledge will be running a series of starter sessions over the coming months aimed at helping you set up and run your business in Belgium. We will run similar events in various locations in Brussels and Antwerp so you can be sure that there will be a time and a place to suit you. […]
599 bankruptcies in July 2011
In July 2011, 599 businesses in Belgium went bankrupt, a rise of 0.8% compared to July 2010. […]
Car free on Sunday 18th September
On Sunday 18 September 2011, the whole territory of the Brussels Capital Region (19 Brussels municipalities, among which the City of Brussels) is forbidden to car traffic, from 9 am till 7 pm. […]
Start up of the month
Are you new in the market place and interested in promoting your business? Let Local Knowledge advertise your business through our website and Newsletter for free! […]
Get your start-up known with social networks
Recent findings indicate that only 13 % of Belgian companies use social networks to promote their activities in spite of the fact that 70% of Belgians are connected to various social networks and that this media is the cheapest, easiest and the most efficient way to publicise your business. […]
Big increase in the number of self-employed foreigners in Belgium
The number of registered self-employed foreigners has increased by 31% over the past 5 years according to Flanders News. However their businesses close more quickly than Belgian businesses too. […]
Using your own car for work miles
If you use your own car (rather than a company car) for work mileage from 1st July 2011 you can claim 0.3352 euros/km.
Beat the red tape with Local Knowledge
New figures published by Coface Services Belgium show that the number of new starters in Belgium is at the exact same level as last year. Could it be that some people are put off by the crazy paperwork and the sheer difficulty of getting together all the papers required? […]
“Start your own Business” seminar 5th April
Start your own business in Belgium Following 2010’s sell out event, Local Knowledge is once again running a half day seminar on how to set up and run a business in Belgium with the support of ING and The Bulletin magazine. […]
Massive increase in false freelancers on the cards
Belgian decision makers have struggled for years against the large number of so-called ‘independents’ who, in reality, although freelance in name, work for just one client. The question has always been whether contracts between them and their client should be requalified as employment contracts. […]
Come to the launch of the 2nd edition of the Local Knowledge Guide
The indispensable Local Knowledge Guide to setting up and running a business in Belgium will be officially launched by the authors on Tuesday February 1st. See here for more details:
The little green book that’s a big, big success
The English-language ‘bible’ of setting up a business started life two years ago as a little-known handbook offering advice and information about setting up a business or organisation in Belgium but, just like the company behind it, the book has become a key player in Belgium’s business consultancy world and has now sold over 1,000 copies. […]
Set up an ASBL/VZW
An ASBL is the most common form of not-for-profit registration in Belgium. The law provides extensively for its governance and for this reason, the Articles of Association (AoA) can be drawn up by the members of the organisation itself without the obligation of having the Bylaws notarised. […]
Registering an operations centre
This is legal framework is specifically designed for foreign NGOs opening an ’operations centre’ in Belgium. To qualify, the organisation must be a registered NGO in its country of origin. […]
Official Belgian bank holidays in 2011
Here’s the list of official bank holidays in Belgium in 2011 […]
Top Ten Tips
Although according to the Belgians it only takes three days to set up a business here in actual fact most of the people that we speak to end up spending weeks if not several months on the formal start up process. It pays therefore to be prepared, to understand what is required at the various stages of the procedure and to make sure you have all the bits of paper [...]
Glossary of useful terms in French and Dutch
If you would like to see a list of commonly used business terms in French and Dutch have a look at this setting up a business in Belgium glossary.
Step-by-step guide
How do I set up a business in Belgium? The first decision you need to make concerns your company’s legal registration as there is a surprisingly large choice of business incorporation models in Belgium. […]
VAT registration
Anyone earning income in Belgium as a freelance and all businesses need to register for VAT in Belgium. You must receive confirmation of your VAT registration before you can issue an invoice. However if you earn less than EURO 5580 then you do not need to make VAT declarations nor do you charge VAT and nor can you recover it. […]
What you should ask a prospective accountant
Top questions to ask an accountant who you want to work for you It’s important that you feel comfortable speaking with the accountant you finally choose. Ensure that the accountant understands your questions (not only language, but culture surrounding the fact that you don’t have a degree in Belgian tax accounting), and that the communication doesn’t seem hurried or difficult to follow. This is an important relationship that is worth [...]
Essential start up documents
Here’s a quick checklist of things that you need in order to establish an SPRL/BVBA (limited company) in Belgium […]
Starters seminar
Our regular sell out event will be running during the Autumn. […]
Tax rates in Belgium
The standard corporate tax rate is 33.99% which compares favourably when you consider that a freelancer is taxed at up to 50% of his or her total income. For SMEs with an annual profit of less than €322,500 the rate can drop to as low as 24.98%. […]
How to prepare for an interview
Interview top tips for candidates Although most of our services are targeted at employers rather than employees our long years of experience has prompted us to publish the following tips for prospective employees to consider prior to attending a job interview. These apply whatever your level. […]
Working in bxl
If you are thinking of employing staff, contact us first to find out how to save money.
Top ten start up tips
Although according to the Belgians it only takes three days to set up a business here in actual fact most of the people that we speak to end up spending weeks if not several months on the formal start up process. It pays therefore to be prepared, to understand what is required at the various stages of the procedure and to make sure you have all the bits of paper [...]
Providing practical HR advice and support
Local Knowledge works regularly with organisations to help them manage the cultural aspects of being an employer in Belgium. As you will know if you have been in Belgium for only five minutes, there are a great many rules for the Belgian employer to contend with even if the company only has one employee. Our role is to make sure you are aware of those rules and that you have [...]
Registering an NGO operations centre
An international NGO with a Belgian member posted two workers to the Belgian affiliate’s office to work on EU issues. As their workload has increased and as the organisation has identified further opportunities, the parent NGO wanted to explore the options around a separate legal registration for the international office in Belgium. They commissioned Local Knowledge to set out the various options for legal registration and to make recommendations for [...]
Setting up a business
Overview: Yana Groves, who in 2008 arrived in Belgium seeking to set up a media training consultancy in Brussels, is British but speaks limited French. Her main aim was to be self employed and was interested in finding the cheapest, most tax efficient solution. After receiving advice from Local Knowledge on the different business incorporation options available to her in Belgium, she decided to opt for the quick, low start up cost option. She [...]
Overtime Kills
A new study published online in the European Heart Journal suggests working overtime for a few hours may drastically increase your chances of dying of coronary heart disease. The study showed that those work 3-4 hours overtime each day had a significantly greater risk of death from heart disease. According to the study working one or two hours longer each day does not put you at a higher risk for heart [...]
New travel reimbursement rates now available
If you have any employees and you are governed by the rules applying to the Joint Work’s Committee 218 (employees) then this concerns you. […]
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