Your Digital Business Toolkit 🇧🇪
Starting a business in Belgium, whether it’s a commercial company, a self-employed activity or a not-for-profit association (ASBL), is an exciting project.
However, the path can seem full of administrative, tax and legal pitfalls. Fortunately, the Belgian authorities have developed some remarkable online portals to guide you.
Here’s a guide to some essential websites you should know about and keep in your favourites.
They will guide you from the initial idea right through to the day-to-day running of your business.
1. The Central Portal: Business Window
What is it?
The Guichet d’Entreprises is the single entry point for all business start-ups in Belgium. This is where it all starts. This portal allows you to set up your business in a single operation, by registering with all the necessary authorities.
What does it involve?
When you register, the Guichet d’Entreprises belge manages the following for you:
- Registration with the Crossroads Bank for Enterprises (CBE or BCE in French).
- VAT registration with the Federal Public Service Finance.
- Membership of a social insurance fund for the self-employed (if applicable).
- Notification to the parastatal body responsible for your sector.
This is the heart of Belgian business administration.
Web address: www.entreprise.fgov.be
2. The Tax Control Tower : Federal Public Service Finance FPS
What is the Tower?
The FPS Finance is the federal tax administration. Its site is a mine of information on all the taxes your company will have to deal with.
What are they?
You’ll find all the information you need on :
- VAT (Value Added Tax): Schemes, periodic returns (monthly/quarterly), deductions.
- Personal Income Tax (IPP) or Corporation Tax (IS): Calculation, rates, annual returns.
- Withholding tax (the equivalent of withholding tax on salaries).
- Tax credits: for research and development, innovation, employment, etc.
The site also provides access to online services such as “My Minfin” for managing your tax affairs.
Web address: finances.belgium.be
3. The Social Partner: National Social Security Office (ONSS)
What is the ONSS?
The ONSS is the body that manages social security for salaried workers. As soon as you take on your first employee, it becomes your main contact.
What does it do?
He or she plays a crucial role in :
- Social security contributions: Calculation, declaration and payment of social security contributions due on your employees’ wages.
- Immediate declarations of employment (DIMONA): Mandatory for all new hires.
- Periodic multifunctional declarations (DMFA): A single social declaration that brings together all the information on your staff and their remuneration.
Even as a self-employed person, you contribute to a “social insurance fund”, which is a private body approved by the INASTI (the National Social Insurance Institute for the Self-Employed), linked to this system.
Web address: www.onss.fgov.be
4. The Self-Employed & SMEs Window
What is it?
An information and services portal specifically designed for the self-employed (individuals) and small and medium-sized enterprises. It is more “advice” and “help” oriented than the Guichet d’Entreprises.
What is it about?
It’s your reliable source for :
- Practical guides to setting up a business.
- Regulations specific to SMEs.
- Information on available grants, subsidies and grants (regional, federal, European).
- Tools for calculating your provisional social security contributions.
It is particularly useful for self-employed professionals and traders.
Web address: www.xerius.be (formerly Seco) and the sites of regional institutions such as https://www.1819.brussels for Brussels.
5. The Economic Compass: National Bank of Belgium (NBB)
What is it?
The NBB is much more than the central bank. It houses the Central Balance Sheet Office, a database containing the annual accounts of almost all Belgian companies.
What does it contain?
This site is essential for :
- Filing your annual accounts: All companies (SA, SPRL/SCS, etc.) are required to file their annual accounts with the Central Balance Sheet Office.
- Analyse the financial health of your competitors, customers or suppliers.
- Download templates for preparing your annual accounts in accordance with Belgian standards.
This is a tool for financial transparency and a legal obligation for most organisations.
Web address: www.nbb.be
6. Regional Allies
As Belgium is a federal state, the Regions (Brussels-Capital, Wallonia, Flanders) have extensive powers to support businesses.
What are these powers?
These regional agencies are your contacts for all matters relating to direct economic aid.
What are they?
They manage :
- Subsidies and bonuses for investment, employment and innovation.
- Strategic advice and personalised support.
- Guarantees for bank loans.
- Export support.
Web addresses :
- Brussels: economie-emploi.brussels (hub.brussels)
- Wallonia: www.usance.be (AWEX for exports) and https://www.uccw.be (Union des Classes Moyennes de Wallonie)
- Flanders: https://www.vlaio.be
7. For the Non-merchant World: FPS Interior
What is it?
For ASBLs and other not-for-profit associations, the FPS Interior is the supervisory authority.
What does it do?
This site is vital for :
- Understand the legal obligations specific to NPOs (general meeting, board of directors).
- Accessing model articles of association.
- Managing publications in the Moniteur belge (official announcements).
- Consult the rules on assets and ancillary commercial activities.
Web address: www.ibz.be (under “Associations and foundations”)
Navigating the Belgian entrepreneurial ecosystem is complex, but these websites provide a precise map.
Other useful sites
- Swift / BIC code search
- List of NACE-BEL codes
- Statbel
- European VAT number search / EU VIES
- Electronic invoicing PEPPOL
- Brussels-Capital Region
- Accountant Brussels
- itsme
Itsme guide (video)
Itsme is a mobile identity application that allows citizens of Belgium and a number of other European countries to connect to government platforms, banks, insurers and other private companies. It can also be used to share identity data, confirm payments and sign digitally (qualified electronic signature under the European eIDAS regulation).