Trade Register in Belgium

 

Entrepreneurs that want to open a company in Belgium must first decide what type of company is best suited for their needs. A new legal entity in Belgium can be:

Our attorneys in Belgium can help you decide what type of structure is the most suitable for your business.

 

The identification data for the new company will be included in the authentication act and after filing the deed of incorporation, the clerk’s office will automatically register the newly formed company with the Register of Legal Entities, part of the Crossroads Bank for Enterprises.

 

The Crossroads Bank for Enterprises/La Banque-Carrefour des Entreprises (BCE/KBO) is the Belgian register that contains the identification data for companies and their business units. It includes data from the national register of legal entities, the trade register and VAT information for the companies.

 

The information is kept up to date by the relevant authorities. The BCE has improved the administrative procedures for company management in Belgium. It centralizes the company’s basic identification data and business units and communicates with various relevant authorities. After they register with the BCE, companies receive a unique identification number.

The BCE Public search is available online and it displays the public data of all the companies listed on the BCE. All companies are visible, regardless of their current status (active or logged off).

 

In order to search for a company, one of the following details must be provided: the company’s identification number, company name, type of activity (there is also an option for legal or natural persons) or the address of the company. Some of the services provided by BCE are free of charge and other specific services require a fee. 

 

The BCE Private search is available only for the company. Authorized persons within the company may check the available public data and, if necessary, change the available information.

 

Apart from the Trade Register requirements for registration, companies will also need to observe other registration requirements, such as for the EORI number in Belgium, if applicable.

 

Our Belgian law firm can provide more information about company incorporation in Belgium and other details regarding company registration. Please contact us for more personalized information.