1. Starting up in Belgium
What we can do for you (and more)
Brussels, 7 December 2014 – Loyens & Loeff

2. It is not how good you are,
It’s how good you want to be (without a lawyer?)*
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*Paul Arden

3. • Energy, it’s 75% of the job!
• Do not seek praise, seek criticism
• Do not cover your ideas – give away, more will come back
• When it can’t be done, do it. If you don’t do it, it doesn’t exist
• It’s right or wrong
• Play your cards right
• It’s not what you know. It’s who you know
• If you get stuck, draw with a different pen – “call Wolf”*
• Work with the best
• Eliminate the negative
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*John Travolta – Pulp Fiction

4. The ten (legal) commandments
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5. • Be aware of your IP assets and check the IP of your
competitors!
- Registration of Trademarks, Designs and Models:
• Benelux: Benelux Office for IP : https://www.boip.int/wps/portal/site/home/
• EU: https://oami.europa.eu/ohimportal/en/
• Worldwide: http://www.wipo.int/portal/en/index.html
- Registration of Patents:
• Belgium: http://economie.fgov.be/fr/entreprises/propriete_intellectuelle/BE_Benelux_Patent_Platform/#.VIciOJ0VFaQ
• EU: http://www.epo.org/
• Worldwide: http://www.wipo.int/portal/en/index.html
- Registration of Copyright: not required
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6. • Don’t forget your IP rights when signing a contract…
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7. • Starting a business is like getting married
• Setting up a legal entity benefits your business
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8. • Never start without a work accident insurance
(unless you want to end up in jail or close down your business)
• Do your hiring of key people smartly
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9. • Pay income taxes!
• But not too much
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10. • If you have a limited turnover (< 15,000) and very few
input VAT you can opt out of the sometime
burdensome VAT compliance requirements and apply
the special regime for small enterprises
• Keep VAT in mind when you negotiate your contracts
(inclusive or exclusive ?) It can be a 21% mistake…
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11. And what about subsidies ?
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12. Subsidies – Venture Capital
• No general subsidies for start-ups ( activity driven)
• Multiple sources of subsidies: EU / Belgian Federal State / Belgian Regions
• Online databases
- www.agentschapondernemen.be
- www.aides-entreprises.be
- www.ecosubsibru.be
• Venture capital  PMV, SRIW, FPIM, GIMB, Gimv (risk capital, guarantees, loans,
etc)
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13. Thank you !
http://www.loyensloeffnews.be/en/publications/books/read-our-e-book-about-
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legal-aspects.html

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Filip Saelens
Employment Law
T +32 2 773 23 29
M +32 478 401 623
filip.saelens@loyensloeff.com
Bert Gevers
VAT/Customs
T +32 2 743 43 18
M +32 496 125 357
bert.gevers@loyensloeff.com
Robrecht Coppens
Corporate Law/M&A
T +32 2 700 10 12
M +32 497 219 281
robrecht.coppens@loyensloeff.com
Maxime Vermeesch
Tax
T +32 2 773 23 76
M +32 476 252 906
Maxime.Vermeesch@loyensloeff.com
Evelina Roegiers
IP/IT Law
T +32 2 773 23 67
M +32 477 139 882
Evelina.Roegiers@loyensloeff.com

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