News Archive

France does not allow import VAT to be handled through the VAT return currently. That will change from 1 January 2022. The French authorities have decided to implement an automatic reverse charge mechanism for import VAT. This means your company can avoid significant pre-financing costs.

Anyone wishing to do business in Luxembourg must fulfil a number of important obligations beforehand. Those who disregard these obligations may be subject to a financial penalty. But what exactly do you need to take into account? Our specialists have the answer.

Belgian companies belonging to an international group face obligations regarding transfer pricing documentation. During a tax audit, the tax authorities have been paying increasing attention to its presence. Good preparation is therefore a must.

On Tuesday 12 October, the Belgian federal government reached final agreement about the budget. The core cabinet adopted a range of fiscal and social measures. Rebuilding the economy after the COVID-19 crisis is given top priority.

Whilst homeworking is no longer the norm in Belgium, a number of employees who work abroad remain unable to return to their workplace.

At the beginning of July, the Belgian Federal Public Service for Finance (FPS Finance) published the tax return form for the taxation of non-resident natural persons for the 2021 assessment year (income year 2020). The return can be submitted either on paper or electronically. Here is an overview of the key points.

You want to attract and retain top-quality staff. Offering a competitive salary package is a highly important factor. We’re all familiar with offering raises, salary bonuses and other enticements – but have you considered offering insurance policies? These can be a great perk for your staff – and they come with tax benefits. We zoom in on the advantages of group insurance and hospitalisation insurance.

Do you have a foreign company that operates in Belgium? Then it is likely that a permanent establishment has been created in Belgium. Indeed, permanent establishments have become increasingly prevalent in Belgium since the introduction of the Multilateral Instrument (MLI) in 2020.

Belgian companies are required to report payments to tax havens in their Belgian corporate tax return if these exceed EUR 100,000 in value. In their circular of 1 September 2020, the tax authorities expanded this reporting obligation to include Malta and Turkey.

From 1 January 2023, the Belgian tax authorities will be paying closer attention to anyone providing goods or services (such as apartment rentals or meal deliveries) through online platforms. This is due to the adoption of the European DAC7 directive, which stipulates automatic exchange of information for all digital platform operators.

As a director of a foreign company, your mandate may include two separate functions, for which you receive two salaries. Specifically, you could be a member of the Board of Directors and at the same time have responsibility for day-to-day management. In today’s expanding “global village”, where international roles are increasingly common, it can be a challenge to identify exactly what income should be taxed where. Perhaps just in the foreign country? A nice idea, but sadly too simple...

If you have foreign assets, you had better be sure to file an accurate Belgian tax return. Thanks to the international exchange of financial account information introduced in 2017, the tax authorities have direct access to financial data regarding your foreign capital.

We already knew there was an important change in the works for Belgians with properties abroad. Recently, the Chamber approved the legislative proposal to make that change. What does this mean in practical terms for Belgians with foreign properties?

Mandatory closure of many enterprises is having serious financial impacts. Entrepreneurs who rent premises are having to dig into their reserves to bridge this period. Some landlords have responded to this situation by waiving part of their rent.

On Friday 12 February 2021, the Inner Cabinet agreed to extend a comprehensive package of support measures until the end of June 2021. The Inner Cabinet also announced a number of additional support measures.

As always at the beginning of a new year, the Finance Act and the Social Security Financing Act (Loi de Finances et la Loi de Financement de la Sécurité Sociale) include a great number of new features for companies in France. Doing business in France? Are you planning to set up a business in France?Then you might be interested in these new provisions. An overview of the important measures for the coming year...

Dividends distributed to Belgian residents by French companies are subject to taxation in both France and Belgium. Recent developments have served to eliminate this double taxation. As a result, investing in French shares is now actually more advantageous than investing in Belgian shares!