Our Belgium office is situated in Brussels, the capital of Europe, home to the European Commission and the council of ministers of the European Union. It is known for its international community and atmosphere.
Reflecting Belgium’s status as an international financial centre, Belgian law provides for several legal and tax measures to encourage foreign investments in Belgium.
These include:
- the participation exemption on dividends and capital gains on shares;
- deductibility of financial charges in holding companies;
- the deemed interest deduction on equity (capital + retained earnings);
- known as Notional Interest Deduction;
- applicable to both Belgian and foreign companies with a taxable presence in Belgium;
- an attractive tax regime for Intellectual Property;
- the exemption of registration duty on capital contributions;
- no general debt/equity ratio;
- an extensive tax treaty network with special focus on emerging markets.
Our office provides a complete range of management services for both international corporate and private clients. Through our international network we can assist you setting up legal structures in other jurisdictions. Yet we also support in the development of international (corporate) structures and the formation of Belgium companies. We can provide for a (fully dressed) office, taking care of all local formalities, including prompt filing to keep the companies in good standing and comply with Belgium regulatory requirements.
Geography |
Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between France and the Netherlands - 50 50 N, 4 00 E |
Capital |
Brussels |
Time zone |
UTC+1 |
Population |
10,414,336 (July 2009 est.) |
Nationality |
Noun: Belgian(s) - Adjective: Belgian |
Languages |
Dutch (official) 60%, French (official) 40%, German (official) less than 1%, legally bilingual (Dutch and French) |
Government type |
Federal parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy |
Legal system |
Based on civil law system influenced by English constitutional theory; judicial review of legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations |
Economy overview |
This modern, private-enterprise economy has capitalized on its central geographic location, highly developed transport network, and diversified industrial and commercial base. Industry is concentrated mainly in the populous Flemish area in the north. With few natural resources, Belgium must import substantial quantities of raw materials and export a large volume of manufactures, making its economy vulnerable to volatility in world markets. Roughly three-quarters of Belgium's trade is with other EU countries and its overall current account deficit widened to 4% of GDP in 2009. Public debt is nearly 100% of GDP. On the positive side, income distribution is relatively equal and the government succeeded in balancing its budget during the 2000-2008 period. In 2009 Belgian GDP contracted by 3.4%, the unemployment rate rose slightly, and the budget deficit worsened because of large-scale bail-outs in the financial sector. Belgian banks have been severely affected by the international financial crisis with three major banks all receiving capital injections from the government. An ageing population and rising social expenditures are also increasing pressure on public finances, making it likely the government will need to implement unpopular austerity measures to restore fiscal balance. |
Currency |
Euro (EUR) |
Source: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook