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Criteria for starting
Before you can begin as a self-employed person, you need to comply with a number of legal criteria. Once these are fulfilled, nothing can stop you. Most starters only need to comply with the general start-up criteria.
According to the law there are three criteria for starters.
- Criterion 1: Are you of age?
- Only those who have come of age can start up their own business.
- Criterion 2: Are you entitled to work in Belgium ?
- You must be Belgian or come from one of the member states of the EEA (European Economic Area).
- Or possess a professional card:
- if you do not have Belgian nationality; if you do not have the nationality of one of the member states of the EEA and you are not entitled to an exemption from the mandatory professional card.
- You can request permission from the authorities via your Securex Company Desk.
- Criterion 3: Merchants have to provide proof of their entrepreneurial skills.
The Securex Company Desk will check whether you fulfil the criteria:- You must be able to show that you have a basic grounding in business management. By means of a diploma or practical experience.
- You are provisionally or permanently exempt from this obligation in the following cases:
- you have previously been self-employed, when there was a trade register. In some cases you are exempt. Contact us;
- some cases of take-over;
- big businesses.
- o For some professions (e.g. hairdresser, garage mechanic, contractor, restaurateur, ...) you also need to show that you have the right qualifications. Check here whether your profession is subject to specific criteria.
human capital matters
