Doing business in Brussels

Comprehensive information is available on doing business in the Brussels-Capital Region, including Opens in new windowprofessional card for foreign nationals if they want to work as self-employed professionals in Belgium, finding the right location, the environment, Opens in new windowsustainable entrepreneurship, import and export,mobility, fairs and shows and innovation. Other pages are devoted to Opens in new windowthe Brussels stock exchange and Opens in new windowsubsidies & grants.

Opens in new windowBrussels Economy and Employment (BEE) provides financial support to companies and bodies through investment grants, consultancy, training and more. BEE is the Brussels-Capital Region’s official representative in economic domains and also manages agricultural activities. Additionally, BEE promotes the Region among potential foreign investors and encourages foreign trade.

Does your company, cooperative or organisation have a democratic governance structure and do you limit the redistribution of profits? Then you can apply for accreditation with Brussels Economy and Employment, as the Brussels-Capital Region supports social projects!
For your initiative to be accredited as a social enterprise, you must implement an economic project, pursue a social purpose and have a democratic governance structure.
In practice, this means that you must limit the redistribution of profits and comply with certain principles.
Social enterprises promoting vocational reintegration can apply for accreditation in order to receive funding.
More information: Opens in new windowwww.entreprisesociale.brussels (FR/NL)

hub.brussels is one of the preferred public partners of everyone who does business in the Brussels-Capital Region. The agency provides assistance to project initiators, business founders, SMEs, self-employed persons, companies in the process of international expansion or foreign investors at every stage of development, advising them on all the aspects of their economic activity in Brussels (subsidies, financing, administrative formalities, urban planning/environmental regulations, etc.).

Huge investments have been made in infrastructure, business and trade centres and elsewhere in a number of underprivileged neighbourhoods of the Brussels-Capital Region in partnership with the communes.

The Government of the Brussels-Capital Region has designated citydev.brussels to coordinate the Opens in new windownetwork of eight Brussels public business centres (FR/NL).

The Region is committed to the long-term development of new sectors, such as cutting-edge technologies, the environmental sector and fashion. The conversion of former industrial spaces also contributes to job creation.
Subsidies are granted to Brussels universities and research centres to ensure continued high performance in R&D, which often results in new economic activities and new jobs. For more information over research and development initiatives, see the page 'Innovation and R&D' of this site.

Independent businesspeople can also call on their professional body to apply for assistance for their business undertakings.
A list of trade organizations recognised as representatives by the Region is available on the 'Advice and Information for businesses and the self-employed' page on this website.