Starting your company

Anyone that wants to start an activity must first undertake a series of administrative steps.

Private individuals

- Opening of a bank account reserved exclusively for professional operations (optional);

- Registration with the Banque Carrefour des Entreprises (company database), via the Guichet d’Entreprises (company desk) of your choice ;

- Registration for VAT: send form n° 604A to the nearest VAT office so as to obtain a VAT number for the start of the activity (via FMG);

- On the day you start your activity at the latest, affiliation with a social security fund for the self-employed.

Company

- Choice of the form of the company. There are various types of limited companies that require a notarial act (SA, SPRL, SCRL, SCA…) and ones of unlimited responsibility that can be set up by simple contract (SNC, SCRI, SCS, …);

In the case of limited responsibility companies, a business plan must be submitted to a notary before the incorporation.

In all cases, the rules of incorporation must be deposited at the clerk of the commercial court and published in the annexes of the Moniteur belge (official Belgian gazette).

Prior to that, a bank account in the name of the company must be opened and the amount of capital paid up. The bank provides a certification to be provided to the notary.

- When the rules of incorporation are deposited at the clerk of the commercial court, the company must be registered with the company database (Banque Carrefour des Entreprises) via the company desk (Guichet d’Entreprises) of your choice. Amongst other things, they will check the management skills of the directors ;

- Identification for VAT: send form n° 604A to the nearest VAT office to receive a VAT number before the start of activities (via FMG);

- When the rules of incorporation are deposited with the clerk, the company must register with a social security fund, as must the company directors and active shareholders.

FMG provides advice and is an experienced partner for starting companies that can carry out all the necessary formalities on your behalf.