Q1 - 2024

Retailers must accept cash payments

Retailers must accept cash payments

March 2024 - The House plenary approved a bill requiring retailers to accept cash payments. According to European regulations, customers in the European Union must be free to choose whether to pay in cash or electronically. However, the number of stores where this is not possible is increasing. More and more merchants are refusing cash… ➤

Mandatory training plan: deadline approaches

Mandatory training plan: deadline approaches

March 2024 - By the end of March, companies with 20 or more employees must have a labour deal training plan ready. A survey shows that nearly 4 in 10 SMEs have that plan ready today. About a third have yet to start.
What is the labour deal?
The labour deal contains a series of measures to reform the labour market. ➤

Is your company ready for e-invoicing?

Is your company ready for e-invoicing?

March 2024 - Digital invoicing between companies will be mandatory from Jan. 1, 2026. Still a long way off, you think? Yet you'd better not wait too long. Mandatory digital invoicing is the brainchild of Finance Minister Vincent van Peteghem (CD&V). But Belgium is anything but a pioneer: countries such as Italy, France and Poland have embraced… ➤

How to integrate ChatGPT into your business?

How to integrate ChatGPT into your business?

March 2024 - Whoever says artificial intelligence, says ChatGPT. But is the chatbot worth anything in your business? ChatGPT is based on a language model trained by OpenAI to handle a wide range of textual tasks. It is important to note that ChatGPT does not understand what it writes, it is only lol at estimating how human language works. ➤

Are you on board with ESG?

Are you on board with ESG?

March 2024 - The three letters stand for Environmental, Social and Governance. But what else do you know about ESG? And why is it something you really can't ignore this year as an entrepreneur? Sustainability and corporate social responsibility are terms that have been around for a long time. Most entrepreneurs don't lose any sleep over them. But that will soon change. ➤

Changes to Flemish registration fees in 2024

Changes to Flemish registration fees in 2024

March 2024 - At the start of a new year, we give you an overview of changes to the registration duties on real estate in Flanders. A landlord or leaseholder must pay registration fees on the total fees it pays to the landlord or leaseholder. Since Jan. 1, 2024, this fee has increased from 2% to 5%. (To refresh, the right of superficies is the right… ➤

Agreement on reference CO2 emissions from commercial vehicles for 2024

Agreement on reference CO2 emissions from commercial vehicles for 2024

March 2024 - At the end of January 2024, Finance Minister Vincent Van Peteghem reached an agreement within the federal regulation to determine the reference CO2 emissions for commercial vehicles. CO2 emissions are an important parameter to calculate the benefit in kind (VAA) for company cars. ➤

Tax changes in 2024 and their impact on your company

Tax changes in 2024 and their impact on your company

March 2024 - Like every year, in 2024 you will have to consider new tax rules that may impact your company and employees. We highlight some notable measures: Tax limit amounts re-indexed: a whole series of federal tax caps were not indexed from income years 2020 through 2023. Starting in income year 2024, these amounts will again… ➤

SME growth grant: call calendar 2024

SME growth grant: call calendar 2024

March 2024 - In 2024 you can again submit a dossier for the SME growth subsidy on three occasions. With this subsidy instrument, the Flemish government wants to support SMEs in Flanders in their growth trajectory. That trajectory must be in line with one of the following important social themes: digitalization, sustainable… ➤

6% VAT for demolition and reconstruction: update

6% VAT for demolition and reconstruction: update

March 2024 - Since January. 1, 2024, you should expect significant changes regarding the VAT rate for demolition and reconstruction of private homes. Until now, you could apply (or have applied) the 6% rate only for renovations of homes older than 10 years and for demolition and reconstruction in 32 centre cities. Since Jan. 1, 2021… ➤

Temporary tax credit for employers required to grant bike allowance

Temporary tax credit for employers required to grant bike allowance

February 2024 - Employers who have to grant bicycle allowances to their employees based on NAR CBA No 164 can temporarily count on tax compensation in the form of a tax credit. As of 1 May 2023, it will be compulsory for employers who regularly cycle to work with their employees to pay a… ➤

Everything you need to know about mandatory sustainability reporting in 2024

Everything you need to know about mandatory sustainability reporting in 2024

February 2024 - In 2024, the European Union's Corporate Sustainability Reporting (CSRD) directive will come into force, a set of laws and decrees marking a new standard around sustainability reporting. Over 50,000 large and small companies will be impacted. On 5 January 2023, the Corporate… ➤

A solid rise in single-person businesses: more SMEs than ever before

A solid rise in single-person businesses: more SMEs than ever before

February 2024 - There have never been so many SMEs in Belgium as last year. 1.3 million to be precise. Almost half of them are one-person businesses. As shown by the annual SME barometer of data specialists Graydoncreditsafe and Unizo, things are going well for Belgian SMEs. ➤

How to make your inventory management profitable

How to make your inventory management profitable

February 2024 - Inventory management costs money. But those who are smart in the warehouse can reap commercial benefits from it. In Belgium, the cost of stock for the average SME is estimated at 15 to 20 per cent of the financial value of the stock. Yet, the stock is indispensable in many cases. For three reasons: Fast delivery increases your service. ➤

More insight into your business? Optimise financial management

More insight into your business? Optimise financial management

February 2024 - Whatever business you are in, at the end of the financial year, only one thing counts: the amount below the line. The financial management of your business, therefore, deserves full attention. An ERP system brings insight into your data and figures. The basis of sound financial management is up-to-date accounting. An ERP… ➤

Corporate tax: an overview of novelties in 2024

Corporate tax: an overview of novelties in 2024

February 2024 - The start of a new year always has a number of tax novelties in store. In 2024, too, you can expect a number of changes in corporate tax. Which changes should you take into account?
Statutory filing deadlines
As is its annual custom, the FPS Finance informs taxpayers of the tax... ➤

New HR measures in 2024

New HR measures in 2024

February 2024 - In 2024, you should consider some new HR measures for employers and employees. In this article, we list some of the critical changes.
Extension of date for presentation of purchasing power premium
Through the RD of 23 April 2023 on the purchasing power premium, well-performing companies can grant a one-off purchasing power premium… ➤

Reform of patrimony tax for not-for-profit associations, NPOs and private foundations from 2024

Reform of patrimony tax for not-for-profit associations, NPOs and private foundations from 2024

February 2024 - Until the tax year 2023, non-profit organisations, international not-for-profit organisations (NPOs) and private foundations were subject to a 0.17% tax on the value of their assets (albeit with an exemption of a first tranche of EUR 25,000 of assets). Since 1 January 2024, a reformed rate… ➤

VAT novelties in 2024: what to remember?

VAT novelties in 2024: what to remember?

February 2024 - As every year, there are a lot of striking VAT novelties in 2024. In this article, we list some important changes for you.
VAT identification number: technical adjustments
Based on a recent draft law, several technical adjustments are being made regarding the allocation of a VAT… ➤

Penalty scales for failure to declare (foreign) property

Penalty scales for failure to declare (foreign) property

February 2024 - On 12 October 2023, the Royal Decree was published, determining the scales and application modalities of administrative fines for taxpayers who fail to spontaneously declare their immovable property. These penalty scales also apply to foreign properties. Each owner, occupier, leaseholder, superficies holder or usufructuary must declare the… ➤