If properly structured, a Belgian subsidiary company legitimately allows corporate shareholders (holding more than 15% of the Belgian company) to repatriate profits exempt from dividend withholding tax provided the corporate shareholder is resident in one of Belgium's 80 double taxation treaty partners.

Under the terms of the EU Parent/Subsidiary Directive, dividends paid to a Belgian holding company by European Union (EU) subsidiaries are exempt from dividend withholding tax.

A minimum of one director is required for Belgium company formation. Corporate directors are permitted and the director need not be resident in Belgium.

It is easy to open global corporate bank accounts to support Belgium company formation. Healy Consultants works with internationally recognised banks such as HSBC, Standard Chartered and Citibank to provide corporate bank account services.

Belgium is positively ranked as the world's 19th easiest place to do business, according to the 2008 Doing Business Survey by the World Bank. The country is also positively perceived as the world's 21th least corrupt country, according to the 2007 Corruption Perceptions Index by Transparency International.

In the 2007 Index of Economic Freedom by The Heritage Foundation, Belgium ranks highly as having the world's 20th-freest economy, and scores at 90% in terms of investment freedom and capital flows.

A minimum paid up capital of US$8,300 is required for Belgium company formation.

A Belgian company pays a corporate profits tax of 33.99% on worldwide income on profits exceeding US$430,000. Taxable profits of less than US$430,000 are taxed at 24.98%.

A minimum of two shareholders is required for Belgium company formation. Corporate shareholders are permitted.

Annual audited financial statements must be submitted to the authorities following Belgium company formation.

Back to Europe Company Incorporation page.