Doing business in Belgium offers major advantages

Situated in the heart of Europe, Belgium is a favourable location for investment. The headquarters of the European Union, international organizations such as NATO, and lobbyists, have made Belgium, and in particular its capital, Brussels, influential places where major political, economic and social decisions are taken.

In addition to a stable legal climate for foreign investments, Belgium has excellent logistics and road and shipping infrastructure to connect to major European cities. Indian companies are using the port of Antwerp, the second largest in Europe, to expand their exports to Europe and India has become a privileged trading partner of Belgium in sectors such as information technology, pharmaceuticals and chemicals.

Options for investors

A foreign investor wishing to do business in Belgium can incorporate a Belgian legal entity. The SA/NV (public limited liability company) and SPRL/BVBA (private limited liability company) are the most common choices. An SA/NV must have at least three directors while an SPRL/BVBA may have only one. Directorships may be held by a natural person or by a legal entity, which must appoint a natural person as a “permanent representative”.

Daniel H Sharma, a partner in the litigation and regulatory group in Frankfurt and Brussels, and Benjamin Parameswaran, a partner in the corporate/M&A group in Hamburg and Cologne, jointly head DLA Piper’s India group for continental Europe. DLA Piper is the world’s largest legal practice with more than 4,200 lawyers in 76 offices across 30 countries.