Transcript Brussels

Brussels – Springboard for Europe
Invest in Brussels
BELGIUM
At the boarder of 3 main European cultures
• 10,8 million inhabitants
• Official languages:
French, Dutch, German
• Independant since 1830
• Federal state since 1981
• Head of state:
King Philippe I
• Capital: Brussels
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BELGIUM
Federal state made of 3 Regions
Main competences
of Belgian Regions:
• Economic policy
& Foreign Trade
• Region development
& Town planning
• Transport
• Scientific research
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BRUSSELS
As a region
Brussels-capital region:
• 19 municipalities
• 162 km²
• 1,1 million inhabitants
• 30% foreigners
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7 MAIN ADVANTAGES
Springboard for a Pan-European development
Global gateway to key
markets/ Ideal test market
Accessibility from
all Europe & Worldwide
International decision center
International talent pool
and innovation centre
Competitive real estate
Advantageous business
environment
High quality of life
GLOBAL GATEWAY TO KEY MARKETS
A perfect assessment market
• Gateway to European market (Port of Antwerp)
• Multi-cultural population
• European diversity challenge on a small scale
Exportation
74% GDP
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Importation
72% GDP
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GLOBAL GATEWAY TO KEY MARKETS
Successful test in Belgium = successful test in Europe
H&M maintains a pilot store in Belgium
in order to market-test all its newest
clothing collections.
The Coca-Cola compagny has tested
over 1,000 products in Belgium,
including the well-received Coca-Cola
Light Sango cola and Fanta World
Mango product in 2006.
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ACCESSIBILITY FROM ALL EUROPE AND WW
Brussels - Connected to Europe
75 %
of the EU
Market (GDP)
40 %
of the
consumers
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ACCESSIBILITY FROM ALL EUROPE AND WW
European High Speed Trains
Air connections
• Paris – 1 hour 20
19 connections / day
• Located at 12 km from the Brussels city
centre
• London – 1 hour 55
16 connections / day
• 225 passenger connections, including
135 to Europe
• Amsterdam – 1 hour 55
10 connections / day
• 41 « cargo only » destinations
worldwide
• Francfort – 3 hour
4 connections / day
• Best European Airport (World Routes
2010)
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INTERNATIONAL DECISION CENTER
NATO/WEU
Worldwide Press
Center
(1200 journalists)
EU Institutions
NGO Community
Diplomatic Heartland
(5300 diplomats)
Industry/Corporate
Centre
(1500 federations)
World’s 2nd most important
conference centre
(Union of International Associations, 2012)
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INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS CAPITAL
Major multinationals have their
decision center in Brussels
• Approx. 1.300 foreign companies have
set-up European HQ or sales subsidiary in
Brussels
• Quoted as 6th business city in Europe,
after London, Paris and Frankfurt, (Cushman
& Wakefield Cities Monitor 2011)
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TALENT POOL AND INNOVATION CENTER
Human resources
Brussels workforce is highly multilingual
• Brussels is a bi-lingual city (french – dutch)
• The presence of several international
organisations attracts large panel of foreigners
(30% of the population)
• English proficiency Index: Brussels 6th on
world basis (Education First, 2012)
• 2nd European city in terms of number of
languages spoken (European cities monitor,
2010)
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TALENT POOL AND INNOVATION CENTER
University degree
Germany
7.57
Belgium
7.53
Netherlands
7.06
USA
6.91
UK
6.26
France
Japan
5.77
3.89
Source: IMD World Competitiveness 2012 / 1-to-10 score
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TALENT POOL AND INNOVATION CENTER
EU Innovation Performance
EU member states’ innovation performance
Source: EU Commission, DG Enterprise, 2011
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COMPETITIVE REAL ESTATE
Cost-effective Office Market
Office (prime rent location)
Cushman & Wakefield, Office space across the world 2012
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ADVANTAGEOUS BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT
Cost-effective tax regime
1. Tax incentive to risk capital :
Notional Interest Deduction
Principle
Consequences
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Companies are allowed to claim a notional
interest deduction reflecting the economic cost
of using capital, equal to LT risk free financing.
Reduced effective tax rate
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ADVANTAGEOUS BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT
Cost-effective tax regime
2. Fiscal Ruling
Principle
Consequences
Scope of
applications
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The investor describes the facts, allowing the
tax administration to determine, in advance,
how the tax laws are to be applied on a case
by case basis
• Confidence to invest
• Legally binding & accurate forecast
Corporate tax, individuals tax, customs, VAT,
etc.
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ADVANTAGEOUS BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT
Cost-effective tax regime
3. Foreign executive status
For the EMPLOYEE :
For the EMPLOYER :
•
Exclusion of days
performed outside
Belgium
•
•
Tax free allowances
(relating to extra
costs resulting from
the Belgian
employment)
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Reduction of
employment cost for
expat’s
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ADVANTAGEOUS BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT
Cost-effective tax regime
3. Foreign executive status
Annual gross salary: EUR 75,000
Taxable:
Tax free allowances:
Annual gross:
75,000
Cost of living:
2,500
Social security:
-9,800
Housing differential:
2,674
Tax free allow:
-9,662
Tax equalisation:
4,488
Balance
55,538
40% travel:
-22,215
Gross taxable:
9,662
33,323
Tax due: EUR 9,997 or approx.
13% of gross salary
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ADVANTAGEOUS BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT
No restrictions for foreigners
• open economy: Belgium features a liberal
business environment
• Belgium is tops for attracting foreign graduates
and professionals (Deloitte, Comparative
Immigration Study 2011)
• no permission needed to set up a company
• 100% foreign ownership is possible
• no limitation on repatriation of capital and
benefits
• approximate incorporation fee (for a SA/NV):
1500 €
• easyness to set up a company
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HIGH QUALITY OF LIFE
Brussels residential - High standards at competitive rates
Average rent in urban location (appartment 120m2)
6000
5284
Euro/Month
5000
4397
4000
3000
2376
2000
1438
1698
1862
1865
Frankfurt
Milan
Madrid
1000
0
Brussels
Amsterdam
Paris
London
Source: The Global Property Guide, Rental Yields, 2012
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HIGH QUALITY OF LIFE
An OPEN city for the expat
• 140.000 European
foreigners live in Brussels
• Life cost is cheaper than
in most of the other
European capitals
• Wide range of
international schools,
offering English and
American programs
• High quality health care
system
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BRUSSELS INVEST & EXPORT
Promotes, attracts and retains foreign direct investments in Brussels
• Funded by the Brussels-Capital
Region
• Created in 2003
• Team composed of 50
employees
• High level network within
Brussels
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OUR SERVICES
Contact point for the foreign investors in Brussels
We can bring support in the following areas:
• Tax and legal advices
• Company registration
• Build up local high level network
• Prospection of an office or a site
• Funding & public financial support
• Guidance to public bodies
• Recruitment & employment legislation
• Sectoral expertise & market intelligence
• Technological transnational partnerships
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TRY IT!
With the Brussels Business Welcome Package
Our offer to foreign investors
Opportunity to « test »
Brussels
Easy access to Brussels
Invest & Export business
Experts and partners
Evaluate the potential of your
project in loco
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INVEST IN BRUSSELS TO SUPPORT YOU…
Before & after investment decision
• A portal for all the foreign investors in Brussels
www.investinbrussels.com
• How to set-up and manage your company in Brussels:
www.abe.irisnet.be
• Government and European financial support
www.ecosubsibru.be
• All you need to know if you want to do tourism or
organise a congress in Brussels
www.visitbrussels.be
• Find the ideal location in Brussels
www.sdrb.irisnet.be
• The Brussels Chamber of Commerce
www.beci.be
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INVEST IN BRUSSELS
C/O Brussels Invest & Export
Avenue Louise, 500
1050 Brussels
+32 (0)2 800 40 63
www.investinbrussels.com
Invest in Brussels
Jacques Evrard
Director
[email protected]
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We look forward to
welcoming you in
Brussels
TRY IT !
With the Brussels Business
Welcome Package
During 3 months:
Free of charge Office
+
Free of charge Support
Assess all the assets of
Brussels with real fact