Belgian company formation
Investors who want to
open a Belgian company that activates in the
information and communication technology sector need to follow the basic procedure for incorporating a company.
Belgium has a pro-investments policy and the company incorporation procedure is straightforward. After the investors decide to
open an IT company in the country, they must choose the most suitable business form. The
types of companies available for incorporation suit small or large businesses and individuals can also be self-employed as
software developers.
The
private limited liability company is the most used business form in the country. Its advantages include low incorporation costs and a limited shareholder liability, to the amount of capital invested in the company. Foreign
hardware or software companies can also open a branch or a subsidiary in Belgium and hire employees here for their
IT business.
The IT sector in Belgium
The ICT sector is a profitable one, with companies that target both the software and the hardware subsectors. The opportunities for small and medium-sized businesses are numerous. Special investment regions exist throughout the country for this particular business field.
All of the Belgian regions are very active in the ICT sector: Flanders, with its digital signal processing and multimedia production clusters, Wallonia with a special Telecommunications Agency and the Brussels-Capital Region, a hub for many international companies and a very large number of corporations that activate in the telecommunications sector.
The ICT sector is profitable, dynamic and with important potential for growth. Opportunities for investments abound both in the information and communication technology (ICT) sector and in the information technology one (IT). Key areas that require IT solutions include the financial sector, cloud computing, and cyber security as well as digital marketing and social media. Many Belgian companies specialize in providing IT services that include special software for companies or programming.
Once the company is registered with the Crossroad Bank for Enterprises, it can also have its VAT number activated. This number is linked to the registration number issued for the new IT company and VAT registration in Belgium is mandatory, as there is no minimum threshold and companies are required to make this registration before they commence their relevant VAT-taxable activities.
Considerations for foreign investors in Belgium
In order to encourage investments and employment in the ICT sector, the Belgian Government introduced certain benefits for companies activating in this field: the salaries of ICT researchers are partially exempted from tax and social security contributions. The country has a very good network infrastructure, with more than half of the households that have internet access benefiting from a high-speed network.
All
ICT companies in Belgium will need to observe the
tax principles and the accounting and auditing requirements.
