9. Subsidies in Belgium
Subsidy programmes within the European Union are implemented at different levels of governance, on an international, national, regional and local level. This myriade makes it complex to verify what a particular company or trader can benefit from.
European level
The European Commission makes direct financial contributions by giving grants in support of projects or organisations, which further the interests of the European Union or contribute to the implementation of a European Union programme or policy. For more detailed information, please consult the website of the European Commission, where you will find an overview of the grants available within different fields.
National level
In order to obtain information about government incentives on a national level, there are different websites you can consult, such as the “Subsidy Portal” and the ‘Agentschap Ondernemen’. The subsidy portal is a consulting company specialised in helping companies make use of public funding.
It is important to make sure that the subsidy granted by the state is compatible with European legislation, in order to minimise the risk of refund. You should inform yourself whether all the procedural requirements have been fulfilled by the public entity in question.
Regional level
More information on the various subsidy initiatives on regional level can be found on the website of the Flanders Region, or on the website of NEO (National Employment Office).
It is important to make sure the subsidy granted by the regional authority is compatible with European legislation, in order to minimise the risk of refund. You should inform yourself whether all the procedural requirements have been fulfilled by the public entity in question.
Local level
Subsidy initiatives are not only granted on a regional level but also on a local level. For an overview of the various subsidy projects of the city of Antwerp, please visit the site of ‘Het Portaal’, where you will find an overview of all initiatives in several fields. The province has no initiatives in this matter.
It is important to make sure that the subsidy granted by the local authority is compatible with European legislation in order to minimise the risk of refund. You should inform yourself whether all the procedural requirements have been fulfilled by the public entity in question.
