Accounts - Belgium

Updated 08/2012

• European Union
• Austriadeen
• Belgiumenfrnl
• Bulgariabgen
• Cypruselen
• Czech Republiccsen
• Denmarkdaen
• Estoniaenet
• Finlandenfi
• Franceenfr
• Germanydeen
• Greeceelen
• Hungaryenhu
• Irelanden
• Italyenit
• Latviaenlv
• Lithuaniaenlt
• Luxembourgenfr
• Maltaen
• Netherlandsennl
• Norwayenno
• Polandenpl
• Portugalenpt
• Romaniaenro
• Slovakiaensk
• Sloveniaensl
• Spainenes
• Swedenensv
• United Kingdomen

Legal requirements

A company’s accounting obligations and annual accounts are regulated by laws at the Belgian, European and international levels.

• Audits
• Statutory audit of annual accounts

Accounting Requirements

The accounting requirements vary according to a company's legal form, the nature of the business, its turnover, the balance sheet total and the number of employees.

Companies are categorised into three broad areas for accounting purposes:

• retailers, which are only required to maintain simplified accounting records;
• SMEs, which must maintain complete, double-entry accounting records which may, however, be in abbreviated form;
• large companies, which must file their annual accounts in the complete, long format.

Even companies in liquidation are required to file their annual accounts.

• Accounting requirements - Belgium.be portal
• Business handbook, accounting section [216 KB] (the handbook is currently being produced)

 

Administrative procedures

Annual Accounts

Unless they are exempt, companies are required to file their annual accounts (or, as appropriate, consolidated accounts) electronically through the website of the National Bank.     

• E-Filing via the National Bank of Belgium

To access this application and ensure the authenticity and integrity of the data sent, you must have a digital certificate recognised by the National Bank.

Each annual account (or consolidated account) must be uniquely identified and sent as a separate file.

The general protocol on electronic filing provides all the information needed to file correctly.

• General protocol for electronic filing of annual and consolidated accounts [1 MB]

Check also the legislation on this topic in:

• European Union
• Austriadeen
• Belgiumenfrnl
• Bulgariabgen
• Cypruselen
• Czech Republiccsen
• Denmarkdaen
• Estoniaenet
• Finlandenfi
• Franceenfr
• Germanydeen
• Greeceelen
• Hungaryenhu
• Irelanden
• Italyenit
• Latviaenlv
• Lithuaniaenlt
• Luxembourgenfr
• Maltaen
• Netherlandsennl
• Norwayenno
• Polandenpl
• Portugalenpt
• Romaniaenro
• Slovakiaensk
• Sloveniaensl
• Spainenes
• Swedenensv
• United Kingdomen