Invest in Belgium - Formalities & company types

Formalities & company types

Belgium: head of the class

Belgium has simplified start-up procedures so much that it is now the European leader in terms of to how long it takes to set up a new business. The time you need to complete the administrative formalities to set up your business in Belgium has been slashed from 56 days to just 3 days .

E-one-stop shops and e-deposit help businesses save a lot of time!

3 days to set up a company in Belgium

• Day 1 – the bank : open a bank account and deposit the minimum start-up capital
• Day 2 – the notary : use e-deposit to draw up deed of incorporation and articles of association (you will be assigned a unique 'enterprise number', registered with the Crossroads Bank of Enterprises and registered with the clerk of the Commercial Court, and your documents will be published in the Belgian Official Gazette)
• Day 3 – the business one-stop shop : your enterprise number is activated

Choosing a company type

Several company types are available depending on what kind of core business you are in and what kind of development strategy you have in mind. The most common types are the Société Anonyme (SA, company limited by shares), the Société Privée à Responsabilité Limitée (SPRL, private limited liability company), the Coopérative (cooperative company) and the Groupement Européen d'Intérêt Economique (GEIE, European Economic Interest Grouping).