BUSINESS SCENARIOSFOR LOGISTICS

YOU WANT TO MAKE THINGS MOVE YOU LIKE TO BE IN THE CENTER AND YOU ARE A TEAM PLAYER DISCOVER FLANDERS

CENTRALLY LOCATEDHIGHLY EFFICIENT MULTIMODAL

INFRASTRUCTUREOPEN AND FRIENDLY

ENVIRONMENTNOTIONAL INTEREST

DEDUCTIONPLENTY OF

(LOW-COST) SPACE

HIGH QUALITY OF LIFE

HIGHLY SKILLED AND MOTIVATED TALENTMULTILINGUAL

DENMARK

NORWAY

SWEDEN

CZECH REP.

POLAND

AUSTRIA

UKIRELAND

ITALY

FRANCE

SPAIN

PORTUGAL

SWITZERLAND

FLANDERS

NETHERLANDS

BELGIUM

GERMANY

The accessibility of Flanders is fabulous, [...], I can make one day business trips to our customers in other European countries. No transiting around, just perfect.”

Tej Soni, President & Founder, izmocars (India)

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Over 60% of European purchasing power is situated within a tight 500-kilometer radius around Flanders. Large industrial and consumer areas such as Paris, the Ruhr area, London and the Amsterdam-Randstad area are within a stone’s throw.

LOOKING FOR THE IDEAL PLACE TO SET UP YOUR LOGISTICS OPERATIONS IN EUROPE?

FLANDERS, THE NORTHERN REGION OF BELGIUM, IS THE EUROPEAN GATEWAY PAR EXCELLENCE!

A bold statement but we have the prime location and logistics strengths to back it up.

WHY IS FLANDERS IN POLE POSITION?

1 Our central location means the shortest route to European customers.

2 Highly efficient and outstanding multimodal infrastructure connects you fast to the rest of Europe and the world.

3 Our open and friendly environment – economically, politically, fiscally and socially – makes doing business in Europe easy and attractive.

Our long history as a key player in logistics is demonstrated by the latest three editions of the biennial European Distribution Report by Cushman & Wakefield, which puts us in first place as top logistics location in Europe.

Logistics hotspots in Flanders’ multi-modal transport infrastructure

PRIMARY HOTSPOT

1. Gateway cluster2. Canalzone Ghent3. Cluster Ghent-South4. Cluster Waasland Port5. Sint-Niklaas6. Cluster Mechelen

7. Corridor A12-E198. Seaport of Antwerp9. Corridor ENA10. Cluster Limburg-West11. Node Diest12. Cluster Middle-Limburg

SECONDARY HOTSPOT

A. Node AalterB. RoeselareC. KortrijkD. Node WaregemE. Leie SpaceF. Node AalstG. Node Ternat

H. Corridor E19 ZuidLeuvenI. Node TurnhoutJ. Cluster Limburg-NorthK. Node TienenL. Node TongerenM. Node Lanaken

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HIGHER EFFICIENCY

Flanders is located close to all the major European industrial and consumer markets, making it an ideal logistics hub. With the seaports of Antwerp, Ghent, Zeebrugge and Ostend, Flanders boasts extensive ocean-going gateways for the speedy handling of all kinds of goods to and from anywhere in the world. Close-by, Brussels Airport, Antwerp International Airport and Ostend-Bruges International Airport take care of the fast and efficient shipment of your goods by air. Our road, rail and inland waterway networks are among the densest in Europe and provide fast connections with the European hinterland. From our region, logistics companies and distribution centers can transport goods to most major European markets within 24/48 hours by any mode.

EXTENDED GATEWAY®

With the unique concept of “The Extended Gateway®”, Flanders offers an integrated vision on logistics. It defines

clusters of companies with comparable logistics characteristics which, in turn, makes it possible to bundle the flow of goods. Finding your prime location in the hinterland of Flanders, close to an inland multimodal terminal, is therefore guaranteed. The Extended Gateway® allows you to be sited on a location where your total logistics costs are the lowest.

INNOVATION IN LOGISTICS

The Flanders Institute for Logistics (VIL) is a center of expertise that supports Flanders-based companies – with financial aid and advice, and through networking – in implementing innovative logistics projects and increasing their competitiveness. VIL works closely with players from the logistics sector: shippers, third-party logistics providers and the like. It focuses primarily on multimodality, one of the biggest assets of Flanders.

Want to know more? Check www.vil.be/en

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WELCOMETO FLANDERS!

A WARM

LOWER EFFECTIVE TAX RATE

The government of Flanders has created a high-quality business climate for the companies that settle in our region. Our intensive support, sound advice and substantial measures are geared to your business objectives and needs. In addition you can benefit from a favorable tax environment.

DECISIVE CORPORATE TAX MEASURES:

• Tax rulings: avoid legal pitfalls with this powerful risk management instrument. It offers you legal certainty on the application of tax laws. Once you have obtained – at no charge - an advance decision from the Rulings Office, there will be no unpleasant tax surprises.

• Notional Interest Deduction (NID): all companies using their own resources to finance their activities are eligible for this attractive tax deduction (no need of a ruling). Subsidiaries and branches can claim tax relief (FY2013: 3%) for their cost of capital by deducting a notional interest charge on their net equity, which brings the effective corporate tax rate to below 15% and if certain conditions are met, even lower than that.

Taxable profit

Profit which would have

accrued between

unrelated parties

Profit accrued based on

conditions agreed

between the related

parties

Tax-exempt “Excess profit”*

EUR 4 mio EUR 10 mio EUR 4 mio *

Art. 185. 2,b)BITC “Downward” profit adjustment

Arm’s length profitBelgian

accounting profitBelgian

taxable profit

• If you also envisage R & D activities, the tax charge can be further substantially reduced by innovative tax measures, including the Patent Income Deduction (entitling to 80% tax deduction of qualifying patent income), investment deductions and partial exemptions of withholding tax on salaries for qualifying researchers.

• Excess Profit Ruling: the tax office refrains from taxing the profits of a Flanders-based entity that it could not have realized in a stand-alone situation.

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THE PREFERRED LOCATION OF EXPATRIATES

Flanders also offers fiscal advantages for Human Resources management. Thanks to the Expatriate Taxation, foreign executives and managers temporarily employed in Flanders can benefit from a special tax status. The expatriates are treated as non-residents in Flanders for income tax purposes and therefore achieve significant benefits, thus mitigating the cost of employment in Flanders.

BECAUSE THERE ARE BETTER WAYS TO SPEND YOUR MONEY…

Brussels, the capital of Flanders, stands out as an inexpensive city to live in for expatriates, according to Mercer’s ‘2011 Cost of Living Survey’. Brussels was ranked only 62nd in the list of the world’s most expensive cities for expatriates. Only 3 EU capitals do better: Lisbon (86), Warsaw (102) and Budapest (113). Brussels’ high score is mainly due to its relatively low cost of living with an average rental price for a luxury apartment of EUR 1,500.

IN FLANDERS, LIFE IS GOOD!

Belgium, and Flanders as a region, is known the world over for its excellent quality of life. The social fiber in Flanders is strong and people are open-minded. The region offers an exceptionally high standard of living for expatriates and their families with first-class healthcare, high-quality housing at affordable prices and an excellent education system – one of the best worldwide – including many international schools. Furthermore, our rich cultural heritage and exquisite culinary tradition make living in Flanders an unforgettable experience.

HALLO, BONJOUR, GUTEN TAG AND HELLO

Flanders offers highly skilled and motivated talent. Located right on a nodal point where Europe’s three major cultural and language groups meet, people in Flanders, Belgium’s northern region, are multilingual. They fluently speak Dutch, French and German – the 3 official languages in Belgium – and possess an excellent knowledge of English.

Building on the competencies we have developed as the logistic provider for the two Volvo factories, we expanded our service offering with new activities for new customers. What’s more, we benefit from the abundance of logistical and technological skills and competencies in Flanders as well as from the high density flow of goods that cross the region. That’s how we turned into a true fourth-party logistic provider.”

Volvo Logistics

We were very happy with the federal government’s initiative to introduce the notional interest deduction and favorable taxation measures for expat employees.”

Alex Janssens, Director European Accounting & Treasury, Finance and Administration, Mazda Motor Logistics Europe

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HOW TO ENSURE PROPER IMPORT CLEARANCE OF NON-EU GOODS INTO THE EU VIA FLANDERS

Three main factors determine treatment of imports into Flanders:

1 Commodity code: an alphanumeric code to classify goods and services for easy identification, taken from the Combined Nomenclature. You can obtain a Binding Tariff Information (BTI), issued on request by the customs authorities. This is the correct tariff classification for goods you intend to import or export. The decision is valid in all EU member states for six years.

2 Origin: products imported into the EU have an origin, economic or fiscal. The former determines import restrictions and licenses; the latter whether a product is eligible for preferential import duty rates.

3 Customs valuation: import duties and VAT are usually calculated on the basis of the customs value, as stated in the invoice. Sometimes an alternative basis may be agreed for paying the import duties, e.g. first sale, cost-plus or resale minus methods.

EASY ACCESS TO THE EUROPEAN UNION

Since the EU constitutes a customs union (EUCU), there are virtually no borders between member states. No customs are levied on goods travelling within the EUCU and a common external tariff on all goods entering the union is imposed.

What’s more, thanks to the system of ‘secure trade lanes’ – in which supplier and customer are registered as Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) – our customs operate faster and more efficiently. AEOs can apply simplified administrative procedures and are liable to limited custom checks. They are also given priority over non-AEOs.

GOOD TO KNOW

Bonded warehouses allow importers to postpone payment of import duties and import VAT until the final destination of the goods is known. The bonded warehouse can perform customs-approved forms of handling to add value, such as re-packaging, conservation, testing and marketing. Companies with bonded warehouses in different EU countries can obtain a single EU authorization. Belgium, and Flanders as a region, promotes this actively because all imports are customs-cleared centrally. Tax is paid in Belgium and goods can be moved flexibly between bonded locations.

Goods from non-EU countries attract customs duties at the common EU tariff if no particular origin agreement has been signed with the EU. Excise duties are levied on specific goods produced or released for consumption in Belgium. Certain customs and excise duties are refundable if the goods are exported after the duty is paid.

GOOD TO KNOW

In 2012, prime logistics space in Flanders costs less than EUR 60/m2, according to FDI Intelligence – a major economic driver of globalization through FDI. The prime rent in Belgium, of which Flanders is the northern region, is one of the lowest in Western Europe, thanks to its low property and building costs.

WAREHOUSE RENTING PRICES Q1 2012/PRICES IN €/M²/YEAR

Source: Cushman&Wakefield Healey&Baker, European Distribution Report 2010

TOP - 10 EUROPEAN DISTRIBUTION LOCATIONS: 2006-2010

RANKING 2006 2008 2010

1 Belgium Belgium Belgium

2 France France Netherlands

3 Germany Netherlands Hungary

4 Netherlands Czech Republic Czech Republic

5 Czech Republic Poland Poland

6 Poland Germany France

7 Austria Hungary Austria

8 Hungary Italy Germany

9 Italy Austria Slovakia

10 UK UK Italy

Source: FDI Intelligence

Flanders/Antwerp 57,46

Lille 72,98

Rotterdam 74,52

Hamburg 79,84

Warsaw 83,06

London 266,54

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LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION

Distribution centers differ in their level of activity. For purposes that involve more than generic activities – storage, transport, picking, etc. – and administrative support, important criteria should be considered when selecting your location:• the centrality• the presence of production centers or suppliers• a dense transport network• total minimal logistics cost• flexible and multilingual workforce

If complex functions, whether or not technical, are to be performed in the distribution center, having a multilingual, knowledgeable and flexible workforce at hand is crucial. Those types of distribution centers have high added value and require highly skilled staff.

In Flanders, much effort is being focused on value-added concepts and technologies, such as mass customization, reverse logistics and intelligent supply chains. Moreover, Flanders is also the region where innovative logistic partnerships offer companies a significant competitive advantage.

SCENARIOCHOOSE YOUR

Locating our logistic activity in Flanders was a clear and strategic decision. That’s where we could be in the economic and geographic center of gravity of our market. Our challenge is to keep inventory levels under control, despite the proliferation of products with infrequent demand that is so typical of the spare parts aftermarket. We are capable of dealing with this complexity thanks to the skills, managerial competencies and the culture of continuous improvement that one finds in Flanders.”

SKF Logistics Services

Scenario 1Market

intelligence & representation

office

Scenario 2Storage of stock of goods

Scenario 3Value–Added

logistics & Services

Scenario 4European

Distribution Center & regional

warehouses

Scenario 5Fully fledged European hub• Holding • Regional HQ • Treasury

8 If and when you envisage starting operations in Europe, you will no doubt be asking yourself which steps to take first, as well as questions on matters of market penetration, the allocation of resources, the most tax-friendly options, possible barriers, and so on and so forth.

This handy logistics guide allows you to discover at a glance how to structure your logistics activities. To help you in this task, we have defined five business scenarios

ranging from just a representative office to a fully-fledged international distribution center. You can therefore select the scenario that best matches your needs, company scale and type of industry.

Each scenario is proposed with its own tax aspects, whether direct or indirect, and legal implications. And you can of course apply these scenarios in a dynamic way, aligned with the evolving scope of your presence in Belgium.

MARKET INTELLIGENCE & REPRESENTATION OFFICE

STORAGE OF STOCK

OF GOODSVALUE–ADDED

LOGISTICS & SERVICESEUROPEAN

DISTRIBUTION CENTER & REGIONAL

WAREHOUSESFULLY FLEDGED EUROPEAN HUB

Scenario 1 and 2ForeignCo

Scenario 1 and 2ForeignCo

Legal framework

Belgium

Abroad

Non-taxableBelgian presence

BelgianPermanent

Establishment

Foreign PermanentEstablishments (PEs)

BelCo

SUBs PEs

Foreign Subsidiaries(SUBs)

Scenario 3ForeignCo

Scenario 4 and 5ForeignCo

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We operate in a demanding context that does not tolerate

quality errors and we face a market that is highly unpredictable. Luckily, in Flanders we can rely on a flexible workforce that shows affinity with the products going through the warehouse, and on a competent management team with expertise in designing and optimizing processes. In addition, appropriate information technology systems to support our operations are crucial. In fact, the use of integrated IT systems has allowed us to develop into a provider of logistic services for the e-market.”

Katoen Natie

YOU ONLY NEED MARKET INTELLIGENCE AND AN OFFICE WITH A VIEW

SCENARIO 1

1 2 3 4 5

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Status• no legal entity in Belgium• you have a presence in Belgium• no other activity besides market

research and representation activities (no sales activities or sales support)

Tax aspects• no Permanent Establishment (PE) -> no

tax liability• no VAT PE and no VAT registration

(unless the representation office is liable to pay VAT on incoming intra-Community services “consumed” by the representation office)

• Belgian input VAT can be recovered via the VAT credit refund procedure for non-established and non-VAT registered foreign entities.

Legal implications• need to set up a representative office

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YOU ONLY NEEDTO STOCKYOUR GOODS

SCENARIO 2

Status• no legal entity in Belgium• you own stock (finished goods), stored

in Belgium with a third party logistics provider

• no other activity in Belgium

Direct-tax aspects• under Belgian tax law, you have a Bel-

gian establishment• but, if your country has signed a double

tax treaty with Belgium, a pure stock is not a taxable Permanent Establishment (PE)

Indirect-tax aspects• within the EU: only VAT liabilities• outside the EU: VAT & customs liabilities• storage of goods is never a PE for VAT

purposes• VAT registration is needed if you put

the goods into free circulation in the EU (non-EU businesses need to appoint a VAT representative – global or individual; EU businesses can apply for direct registration)

• to avoid prefinancing of import VAT an import VAT deferral license (a so-called ET 14.000 license) without any cash guarantee can be used

• but, supply of goods to Belgian, EU or non-EU customers is in principle subject to VAT:- VAT exemption possible for intra-EU

supply of goods and export supplies to non-EU

- reverse-charged or local VAT if goods remain in Belgium

• bonded warehouse benefits apply

• customs & excise duty implications (import/storage formalities, valuation, paperless declarations and electronic communication)

• input VAT can be deducted via the periodical VAT return as a Belgian VAT registration occurs

1 2 3 4 5

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Our logistic operations run close to our largest production plant in Europe. Combined with the central position in the European market, this gives us advantages in both inbound and outbound logistics. In the food industry the standards of quality and product safety are very high. We store products that require sophisticated logistical handling and customized products in small quantities, which adds to the complexity. Thanks to the collaboration with partners in our supply chain, we can maximize focus on our core competencies. For example, the outsourcing of our fleet of plastic pallets has helped to improve our customer service.”

Barry Callebaut

The northern region of Belgium is the ideal connection between the south and the north of Europe. Flanders also is very attractive in terms of infrastructure, logistics, supply chain facilities and other services we can make use of. Delivery of our products, for example, is outsourced to some excellent transportation companies in the area.”

Celso Armando, Manager - Director, JBS-Toledo (Brazil)

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YOU ONLY NEEDSCENARIO 3

VALUE-ADDED LOGISTICS & SERVICES

Status• no legal entity in Belgium• deemed Belgian Permanent

Establishment (PE)• you own stock, stored and managed in a

warehouse of Belgian PE• you take care of VAL & VAS in Belgium

including after-sales service

Direct-tax aspects• profits attributed to Belgian PE are

taxable in Belgium• taxable profits of Belgian PE can be

determined on a cost-plus basis

• upfront ruling can be obtained on low mark-up

• Belgian PE can claim Notional Interest Deduction (FY2013: 3%) for equity invested in the Belgian PE

Indirect-tax aspects• for indirect tax aspects on stock, see

scenario 2• if PE for VAT purposes, input VAT can be

deducted via the periodical VAT return of PE

• no VAT on VAS/VAL services by Belgian PE to your head office

1 2 3 4 5

Many internationally active foreign investors in Flanders outsource their value added logistics services to the multiple third party logistics providers that Flanders has to offer, such as for instance Belgacom, Casa, Cummins, Decathlon, Dole, Dupont, Henkel, Lexmark, Mc Donalds, Nespresso, Pfizer, Pioneer, Telenet, Tropicana, etc.”

(a non-exhaustive list by Flanders Institute for Logistics)

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SCENARIO 4YOU NEED A EUROPEAN DISTRIBUTION CENTERIN BELGIUM & REGIONAL WAREHOUSES IN OTHER EU COUNTRIES

Status• EDC (European Distribution Center) set

up as a Belgian legal entity• EDC owns goods, stored in regional

warehouses• EDC delivers VAS to regional warehous-

es and employs staff locally• possibility to set up PEs (regional ware-

houses) of Belgian entity in other EU countries

Direct-tax aspects• Belgian entity is taxable in Belgium• taxable profits of EDC can be deter-

mined on a cost-plus basis• upfront ruling can be obtained on low

mark-up• Belgian EDC can claim Notional Inter-

est Deduction (FY2013: 3%) for equity invested in the Belgian PE

• Belgian EDC has no foreign PE if only storage activities in foreign countries, dependent on tax treaty. All profits are taxable in Belgium.

• if deemed a foreign PE, arm’s length profit allocation required. Profit of for-eign PE exempted in Belgium.

Indirect-tax aspects• Belgian VAT registration is needed,

full (VAT) bookkeeping obliged• if goods are stored in regional warehouses

in other EU countries, the Belgian EDC may need to register for VAT in those countries

• supply of goods to Belgian, EU or non-EU customers by the Belgian EDC is in principle subject to VAT:- VAT exemption is possible for intra-EU

supply of goods and export supplies to non-EU.

- Local VAT is due if goods remain in Belgium.• VAT treatment of cross-border supplies

depends on terms of supply.• to avoid prefinancing import VAT an

import VAT deferral license (a so-called ET 14.000 license) can be obtained without any cash guarantee. Align customs value to the transaction price.

• A ruling in respect of classification, origin and customs value is advisable.

• cross-border authorizations and centralized customs clearance

• Belgian input VAT can be deducted via the periodical VAT return

• VAT credits are refundable on a quarterly basis, for “export” businesses license for monthly refunds is available

1 2 3 4 5

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It is crucial for us to be able to deliver quickly and efficiently the vehicles to the customers’ specifications to over 50 countries in Europe. The Port of Zeebrugge is an ideal base to do that.”

Etienne Plas, spokesman for Toyota Motor Europe

Read the full (his)story on Bose’s logistics in Flanders on page 20!

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SCENARIO 5YOU NEED A FULLY-FLEDGED EUROPEAN HUB

Status• Belgian legal entity• acting as a European holding and

regional headquarter company ( holding EU subsidiaries and branches)

• also treasury and operational activities can be performed

Direct-tax treatments• Belgium offers attractive holding regime• taxable profit for regional headquarter

activities and group services can be de-termined on a cost-plus basis

• excess profit ruling is possible if profits of Belgian company result from group synergies

• interest income on loans and other taxable income can be (partly) offset by Notional Interest Deduction (FY2013: 3%) on equity invested in the Belgian company

• 95% exemption for qualifying dividends of subsidiaries

• 100% exemption of capital gains on qualifying shares

• exemption of profits of foreign PEs in Belgium

• withholding tax exemption on repatriation of dividends to qualifying shareholders

Indirect-tax aspects• holding and financial activities are ex-

empt of Belgian VAT without input VAT credit, but the financial impact of non-recoverable VAT can be limited if set up as an active holding and an efficient “real use” methodology for input VAT deduc-tion is agreed with the VAT authorities

• in respect of the “logistics” activities, see scenario 4 for the indirect tax aspects

1 2 3 4 5

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ForeignCo

BelCo

SUBs PEs

Dividend:0% BelgianWithholdingTax (WHT)

NO WHT onremittanceof profits

Dividend:0% intra-EU WHT

Capital

Loans

AFFORDABLE LOGISTICS OPPORTUNITIES ABOUND

Flanders is home to nearly 800 European Distribution Centers (EDCs), and although the region already has a long history in logistics, there is still ample capacity. The seaports of Antwerp, Zeebrugge, Ghent and Ostend have no congestion. On average, half a million m2 of logistics space are rented out yearly. This mainly concerns storage facilities of 5,000 m2 or more. In addition, Limburg, the easternmost of Flanders’ 5 provinces and ideally located on the crossroads with the Netherlands and Germany, is the best region in Europe for logistics activities. This statement was validated by the Cushman and Wakefield 2010 European Distribution Report.

FULLY FLEDGED EUROPEAN HUB

Flanders is situated in the very heart of Europe’s buying power and, in addition, we have excellent links to our customers in the EMEA region from there. This is the best location in Europe.”

Luc Hooybergs, Nike ELC General Manager

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NIKE’S LARGEST EUROPEAN

DISTRIBUTION CENTER

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FLANDERS AND BOSE, A MATCH MADE IN HEAVEN

Specializing in high-end audio equipment for value seekers, Bose Corporation (US) has been synonymous with quality and performance ever since its inception in 1964. Striving for excellence in products as well as business and marketing potential, the company was looking for opportunities to expand its reach in Europe. Setting up office in Flanders in 1993 marked the beginning of a unique success story that is still going on today.

The long-term relationship between Bose and Flanders is fairly unique. Over the past two decades, the company has gradually grown its presence in the town of Tongeren in Flanders from a modest distribution center to its European operational headquarters, going through virtually every scenario described in this guide in the process.

CENTRALIZE AND CONQUER

Actually, the abolition of the European borders was Bose’s cue to reorganize its logistics network and ensure further growth”, director of operations Gerjan Meerman explains. According to a study conducted by PriceWaterhouseCoopers, centralizing our European distribution center would boost customer satisfaction in the region and make us more efficient.”

As a newly appointed logistics manager, Meerman’s remit was to turn theory into practice by setting up a central distribution center in Europe. Meerman: “The first, and most important question was: ‘Where?’ We ended up with a longlist of eleven places, which was reduced to three after initial research and talks with the local authorities. Interestingly, these ‘nominees’ were all located in Flanders (Belgium). It just turned out that they offered the best conditions in terms of land price, labor, logistics and tax incentives.”

In the end the decision was made to establish the center in the industrial area of Tongeren. “From the get-go, we have had an excellent relationship with the town council and the government. Apart from the necessary facilities – like fiber optic cable – we got a lot of help from the authorities to get through the administrative process, not to mention the favorable withholding tax and special ruling we enjoyed. In a relatively short space of time, we were ready to go and, in 1995, the first commercial shipment was dispatched. All stock from the Netherlands had already been moved.”

In 1995, Bose made further enhancements to its logistics process and the sales office in Ternat (Flanders) moved to Tongeren as well. In subsequent years, e-commerce started to take off. “In 2004, we had to further expand our capacity”, Meerman elaborates. “One year later, all of our European operations – including our DotCom office and repair center – were centralized there. In the end, it was just the most logical thing to do in terms of cost-benefit and long-term growth. Our relationship with Flanders and the local authorities has been excellent over the years, and we look forward to expanding our business in the region even further in the future.”

SETTING UP YOUR BUSINESS IN FLANDERS? PIECE OF CAKE!

It only takes 3 days to set up a company in Flanders:

• Flanders Investment & Trade. SETTING UP IN FLANDERS. Overview of the issues involved in establishing a business in Flanders, from types of business entities, incentives, workforce to imports and exports, competition law, and environmental regulations. www.investinflanders.com/EN/publications

• Flanders Investment & Trade. GUIDE FOR FOREIGN EMPLOYEES WORKING IN BELGIUM. All the legal steps an expatriate has to go through before taking up employment in Belgium. www.investinflanders.com/EN/publications

• For more information on FLANDERS’ PORT AND AIRPORTS, please check their websites: www.portofantwerp.be, www.portofghent, www. portofoostende.be, www.portofzeebrugge.be, www.brusselsairport.be, www.antwerpairport.be, www.ost.aero

• For more info, details, testimonials and contact data, please visit us at

www.investinflanders.com

WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT DOING BUSINESS IN FLANDERS?

DAY 1

Open a bank account and deposit the minimum start-up capital

DAY 2

Use e-deposit to draw up the deed of incorporation and articles of association

DAY 3

Your unique enterprise number has been activated

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To help you realize your ambitions, Flanders Investment & Trade can rely on a vast network of private partners, universities, federal and regional agencies, federations, and clusters, who, each in their particular domain, can provide you with their expertise and professional support.

Part of the service of Flanders Investment & Trade is to bring you in contact with those organizations that match your plans, the scale of your project and your market approach. Ask your FIT investment officer for a list of partners who can help you turn your ambitions into a complete success.

In particular, we would like to thank PwC for their contribution to this brochure.

PwC firms help organisations and individuals create the value they’re looking for. We’re a network of firms in 158 countries with more than 180,000 people who are committed to delivering quality in assurance, tax and advisory services. Tell us what matters to you and find out more by visiting us at www.pwc.com.

Pascal Janssens PartnerPwC Belgium T +32 3 259 31 19 pascal.janssens@pwc.be www.pwc.be

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GUIDING YOU ALL THE WAY

Whether you are just starting up or looking to expand your logistics operations, Flanders Investment & Trade supports you all the way. That is our mission. We provide confidential information and support. Our experienced staff is happy to help you with your questions regarding multimodal infrastructure, site selection, legal aspects associated with setting up your business locally, investment subsidies, recruitment, and much more. We can also introduce you to the right decision-makers and to community life in Flanders.

CLOSE TO YOU

We have about 70 regional offices worldwide to assist you, free of charge, wherever you are. Contact us today. We will be delighted to help you.

WOULD YOU LIKE TO KNOW WHAT FLANDERS CAN DO FOR YOUR COMPANY?

Visit us at www.investinflanders.com Call us on +32 2 504 88 71 or email us at invest@fitagency.be. Please find your contactperson in Brussels or abroad here:

For news hot off the press, follow us on Twitter twitter.com/InvestFlanders.

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