Invest and grow in Europe
Entrepreneurs and companies from Benin, Belgium opens the European market to you. Company forms, professional card, steps, costs and day-to-day management: this guide gathers the essentials, and the consulate supports you along the way.
At the heart of Europe
EU institutions in Brussels, Europe's second port in Antwerp, a cargo airport in Liège.
Benin does not only receive investment: its entrepreneurs and companies also invest abroad. For them, Belgium is a natural gateway to Europe, in French in Brussels and Wallonia.
A Belgian company has access to the whole EU single market. The port of Antwerp-Bruges, Europe's second largest, and Liège cargo airport connect Beninese value chains (cashew, pineapple, shea, processed cotton) directly with European distributors.
Since 2019, the Companies Code has made incorporation simpler: no more minimum capital for an SRL. Basic management knowledge is no longer required in any of the three regions; only some regulated professions still require professional competence.
The right form depends on the number of partners, the capital and the link with your business in Benin. A Beninese national may own 100% of a Belgian company.
The most popular form for SMEs and subsidiaries: limited liability and wide freedom in the articles.
Large projects, fundraising, a structured board of directors.
Collective projects run by partners sharing a cooperative purpose.
Starting a service or trading activity alone, without a company.
Your Beninese company opens a subsidiary (a Belgian company, often an SRL) or a branch (with no separate legal personality).
A national of a country outside the European Economic Area who carries on a self-employed activity in Belgium generally needs a professional card, including as an active manager of a company. Some residence permits exempt from it: check your case.
Most steps can be prepared remotely. A representative or a support platform can act for you.
Activity, target market, company form and financial plan, mandatory for an SRL, SA or SC.
Professional card if needed, and professional competence for regulated trades.
Registered office address, possibly through domiciliation, then a blocked account in the name of the company being formed for cash contributions.
The notary receives the articles and the bank certificate, files the deed and has it published in the Belgian Official Gazette.
An enterprise counter registers the company with the Crossroads Bank for Enterprises and can activate VAT.
The self-employed manager joins a social insurance fund; anyone without a Belgian national number receives a BIS number.
Public fees are the same for everyone. Notary fees depend on the file.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Registration with the CBE (enterprise counter) | €111.50 |
| SRL incorporation deed (notary, duties, publication) | About €1,000 to €2,000 |
| Professional card in Wallonia: application | €140 |
| Professional card in Wallonia: per year of validity | €90 |
| Minimum capital of an SA | €61,500 |
2026 fees of the enterprise counters and of Wallonia. Notary fees are indicative.
Indicative landmarks: have your situation confirmed by an accountant or tax adviser in Belgium.
Once the company exists, a few fixed dates shape the year. They are easy to handle from Benin with an accountant and online tools.
Bookkeeping and monthly or quarterly VAT returns.
Since 1 January 2026, invoices between Belgian businesses must go through the Peppol network.
Approved by the general meeting within six months and filed with the National Bank at the latest seven months after year end.
Beneficial owners are registered and updated within one month of any change.
We support Beninese entrepreneurs with their projects in Belgium, just as we open Benin to Belgian investors.
We introduce you to the right Belgian contacts: regions, enterprise counters, support platforms.
Contact usPowers of attorney, attestations and acts for Beninese nationals, useful to the notary and the authorities.
Consular actsWe show you the legalisation route for your Beninese and Belgian documents.
LegalisationCommunity and business gatherings, official visits: opportunities to build contacts.
EventsPlatform supporting the creation and management of companies in Belgium, with a service for foreign entrepreneurs: professional card, registered office, notary, CBE, VAT.
The official register of Belgian businesses, the approved enterprise counters and registration steps.
Conditions, exemptions and application for the professional card for self-employment in Wallonia.
The professional card for self-employment in the Brussels-Capital Region.
The Walloon portal for entrepreneurs: set-up, grants, business vouchers.
Management platform for a Belgian business: Peppol e-invoicing, accounting, CRM, CBE data.
Visas for Belgium and professional card applications filed from Benin.
Benin's agency also supports exporters towards foreign markets.
Benin Chamber of Commerce and Industry: network, trade missions, certificates of origin.
Yes. The partners' nationality is not a condition. To carry on a self-employed activity personally in Belgium, a non-EEA national generally needs a professional card.
No. The company needs a registered office in Belgium, which can be a domiciliation address, and the deed can be signed by proxy. A BIS number replaces the national number for anyone not registered in Belgium.
Allow about €1,000 to €2,000 at the notary, €111.50 for CBE registration, and sufficient equity for your activity. Add the professional card if required.
A subsidiary is a separate Belgian company that limits the parent company's liability. A branch is lighter but directly commits the Beninese company.
A notary, an accountant or a platform such as LegalBelgique for set-up and management. The consulate guides you and handles your consular acts.
Tell us about your project: we point you to the right Belgian contacts and prepare your consular acts with you.
Discuss my project with the consulate