News articles written by Lieven Schoonjans

Temporary corporate tax exemption for social passive: to be spread over 5 years

27 March 2019

On 22 March 2019, the Act modifying the specific corporate tax exemption for social passive was published: the exemption now needs to be spread over 5 years. Recap As a short recap, article 67quater Belgian Income Tax Code 1992 (introduced by the Act of 26 December 2013) allows Belgian companies and Belgian establishments to exempt

Belgium – Reduced dividend withholding tax rate of 1.6995% for minority corporate shareholders

28 January 2016

The Belgian withholding tax act has been recently modified as a result of the European ‘Tate & Lyle’ case. The new Act limits the withholding tax on dividends distributed to foreign minority corporate shareholders by Belgian companies to 1.6995% instead of 27%, if certain conditions are met. In 2012, the European Court of Justice ruled that the Belgian dividend

Biztax filing deadline postponed to 7 October 2015

30 September 2015

The Federal Public Department of Finance announced today that the deadline for filling tax returns via Biztax is postponed to 7 October 2015 due to IT problems. This extended deadline applies to tax returns that relate to: corporate income taxation (residents and non-residents); and legal entities income taxation. Initially, the deadline was set at 30 September 2015

Court of Appeal of Ghent: no interest withholding tax exemption without certificate

14 August 2014

In a recent – severe – judgement, the Court of Appeal of Ghent (18 March 2014) ruled that no interest withholding tax exemption can be claimed by lack of a properly dated certificate. Under Belgian domestic tax law, interest payments in principle are subject to a 25% withholding tax. However, based on the implementation of

Publication of model tax returns for assessment year 2014

5 May 2014

Model tax returns for assessment year 2014 now available In the Belgian Official Gazette of 2 May 2014, the model tax returns for assessment year 2014 for resident companies, for resident legal entities and for non-residents(companies and legal entities) have been published.

EC to open investigation on Belgium’s system of support for innovative companies

5 December 2013

On 4 December 2013, the European Commission announced that it had opened an in-depth investigation with regard to the compatibility of Belgium’s system of support for innovative companies with State aid rules under the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU (TFEU). In 2006, the European Commission approved a scheme that exempted certain innovative companies