Overview of business organizations in Belgium

The types of companies with a separate legal personality that are organized under Belgian law are as follows:

• - The public limited company ("société anonyme /
• naamloze vennootschap");
• - The private limited company ("société privée à
• responsabilité limitée / besloten vennootschap
• met beperkte aansprakelijkheid");
• - The cooperative company, of which there are two types:
• (a) the cooperative company with limited liability ("société
• coopérative à responsabilité limitée / coöperatieve
• vennootschap met beperkte aansprakelijkheid") and
• (b) the cooperative company with unlimited liability
• ("société coopérative à responsabilité illimitée /
• coöperatieve vennootschap met onbeperkte aansprakelijkheid");
• - The general partnership ("société en nom collectif / vennootschap
• onder firma");
• - There are also two types of limited partnerships.

The rules governing these companies are laid down in the Company Laws and in the by-laws of each company.

The type of company which is most commonly used for large businesses and, in particular for Belgian subsidiaries of international groups, is the public limited company.

Foreign companies wishing to do business in Belgium may also open a branch office ("succursale / bijkantoor"). Unlike the Belgian companies listed above, a branch office does not have a separate legal personality.

Other types of business organizations include the European Economic Interest Grouping and the Belgian Economic Interest Grouping, which both have a separate legal personality, as well as two other types of Belgian companies which do not have a separate legal personality, and contractual joint-ventures.

The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.

For further information contact Didier Leclercq on + 32.2. 517.94.23.
Copyright Mondaq Ltd 1995 Tel +44 171 820 7733.