Conferences and events archivos - Page 23 of 26 - Official Spanish Chamber of Commerce in Belgium and Luxembourg

“Internationalization of Spanish fashion: get to know the benefits of Brussels!”

25/10/2016

Brussels, 20^th October 2016. – The Official Spanish Chamber of Commerce in Belgium and Luxembourg, in collaboration with Brussels Invest & Export, organised in Brussels on the 20 October the congress “Internationalisation of Spanish fashion: get to know the benefits of Brussels!”. This initiative, supported by “Marca España” and the Spanish Embassy in Belgium, brought together 12 Spanish fashion firms. These ones were informed about the advantages that Brussels-Capital offers for setting new branches in this sector.

The conference began with Jorge Notivoli’s welcoming words, the Business representative ad interim of the Spanish Embassy in Belgium, who expressed the continuous support of the Embassy in the promotion abroad of Marca España, and acknowledged the interest of the Spanish companies who joined the initiative. Afterwards, Juan Rodríguez-Villa Matons, the President of the Official Chamber of Commerce in Belgium and Luxembourg, thanked Brussels Invest & Export and the Spanish Embassy in Belgium for collaborating in the organisation of the event. Ariane Leonard, Brussels Invest & Export’s trade advisor in Spain, highlighted the excellent cooperation between the Chamber and her company, which can be used by the participating companies to facilitate their establishment in Brussels-Capital region. Likewise, she pointed at the creativity of the European capital and its name in the fashion sector.

Jorge Notivoli, business representative ad interim of the Spanish Embassy in Belgium	Attendees to the congress
Ariane Leonard, Brussels Invest & Export’s trade advisor in Spain	Juan Rodríguez-Villa Matons, president of the Official Chamber of Commerce in Belgium and Luxembourg

The fashion and design centre MAD, represented in the event by Elke Timmerman, presented a global view of the fashion sector in Brussels and the role they play in the capital for foreign enterprises. To complete their presentation, MAD distributed among the attendees a guide including information about the market in Brussels and the potential for future investors.

Later, Francorp and Racine Avocats explained how the franchise market works. First, Nick Boury, managing director of Francorp, reviewed the consumption trends of the Belgian citizens: “When going shopping, in Belgium we prefer the street to shopping malls” and explained in detail the different franchise models in Belgium. Bert Dehandschutter and Stijn Clays, from Racine, focused their speech on the legal aspects that have to be taken into account to open a franchise in Brussels.

Nick Boury, Managing Director – Franchise expert from Francorp

Stijn Clays, lawyer from Racine Avocats

The recruitment of workers in Brussels was the next issue discussed. Jarra Jellouli and Aleida Delefortire, from the Brussels employment agency, Actiris, talked about the different types of contracts and explained the advantages they offer to search new employees. Jinbao Zhang, from Group S, gave a deep explanation of the labour costs in Belgium.

Zarra Jellouli, Consultante Employeurs from Actiris

Jinbao Zhang, International Social Advisor from Group S

The local grants for opening new shops in Brussels was also an aspect of interest for the Spanish companies. The speaker David Azaerts introduced the opportunities offered by Impulse agency, as well as the information centre for entrepreneurs in Brussels, 1819.brussels. “The subsidies are mainly targeted to small and medium enterprises”, he pointed. Ward Verdeyen, from KBC bank, introduced the support for investment that his company offers, including credits, rent guarantees and online payments

Ward Verdeyen, Relationship Manager Corporates from KBC bank

David Azaerts, Advisor & Social Network Manager from Impulse

The person in charge of introducing the identification of business premises service offered by the public agency Atrium was Julien Bacq. He attracted the attention of the participants making comparisons of the main commercial spots in Brussels with the most emblematic shopping districts in Spain.

Julien Bacq, Chief Retail Officer from Atrium

Attendees a la jornada

Stefaan Lenaerts, from Brussels Invest & Export, gave some details about the services his entity offers for foreign companies who intend to establish in Brussels. Among all, the Welcome Package was the most highlighted one, due to the fact that offers free installations during a period of three months for the firms interested in evaluating on site the opportunities that this region has to give.

The program finished with the intervention of Maria Catalan, Secretary General of the Official Spanish Chamber of Commerce in Belgium and Luxembourg, who thanked the visit of the Spanish enterprises and their interest. Likewise, she introduced the activities of the Chamber, as a point of reference and contact for all Spanish firms in Belgium and Luxembourg.

Stefaan Lenaerts, Area Manager Americas & Southern Europe from Brussels Invest & Export

María Catalán, Secretary General of the Official Spanish Chamber of Commerce in Belgium and Luxembourg

After the networking lunch offered by Hispania Brussels, B2B meetings were organised.

This initiative forms part of the celebration of the fashion month in Brussels and its Brussels Fashion Days. Spanish fashion is experiencing an internationalization process as never known before. Companies are using as elements of differentiation abroad competitive factors less related with price and more with quality, creativity and business excellence. In 2015, Spanish textile exports broke a new record, growing 7.8% over the previous year. Belgium is the seventh country where Spain exports the most. Moreover, the weight of the sector in the whole industry is more important in Spain than in Europe, reaching 5.7% (out of 12) compared to 3.4% in the rest of the European Union. This effort also leads Spanish companies to be world leaders in the sector and are internationally renowned.

The Chamber and Brussels Invest Export would like to thank all the participant companies for their collaboration, as well as to the Spanish companies, which participated at the event, and made its contribution to the success of it.

The Chamber takes part in the IV Edition of the European Parliament for Enterprises

17/10/2016

The Official Spanish Chamber of Commerce in Belgium and Luxembourg, represented by its President, Juan Rodríguez-Villa Matons, took part last 13 October in the IV Edition of the European Parliament of Enterprises (EPE) organised by the Spanish Chamber, and in collaboration with the European Parliament and EUROCHAMBRES.

The event was opened by the President of the Spanish Chamber, José Luis Bonet, in the welcome cocktail which took place on October 12. As in previous years, in the framework of the European Parliament of Enterprises, a working breakfast was organised between the business delegation and the Spanish MEPs in the Hemicyle the 13 October.

The meeting was held in the European Parliament, from 08:15-10:00 AM in the MEPs’ locations.

After the MEPs’ speeches, a question and answer period was opened and the Spanish business representatives could interact with them.

The working breakfast aims to building bridges between the business community and the European legislators in order to encourage an exchange of opinions and views about policies and Community programmes of interest to companies.

The European Parliament for Enterprises was held during the afternoon. Under the slogan “Europe needs Business, Business needs Europe” more than 800 entrepreneurs of 45 different European countries gathered in the Hemicycle of the European Parliament and rose to their feet to demonstrate their belief in the European project. Besides, they had the chance to have a direct debate with high representatives of the EU institutions and to provide them with a direct bottom-up feedback on EU policies. The Spanish delegation was made up of 70 entrepreneurs and representatives of different Spanish chambers of commerce led by the president of the Chamber of Spain, Jo sé Luis Bonet .

“The time has come for businesses to reiterate their capacity and willingness to provide solutions to the challenges of today: globalisation, unemployment, unfair competition, migration and climate change.” With these words EUROCHAMBRES` Chairman Richard Weber inaugurated the fourth edition of the European Parliament of Enterprises.

During the subsequent debates and votes on trade, the single market, sustainability and skills, companies called for EU policies allowing them to contribute addressing these challenges while being able to compete globally.

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New challenges for the Spanish economy: Sustainable Growth, Energy Union and Immigration

05/10/2016

Young Professionals Night meeting

20/09/2016

The Official Spanish Chamber of Commerce in Belgium and Luxembourg invites you to link up with other young professionals from no less than thirteen international and local Chambers of Commerce from across Belgium at the fourth edition of its famous cross-chamber speed-networking event.

The 20 October evening will feature a speed networking session as well as a workshop on Crowdfunding, with a What’s-In-It-For-Me approach by Charles-Albert de Radzitzky, COO and Co-Founder of MyMicroInvest and Tarik Hennen, Co-founder of Smartflats, a project partially funded by the MyMycroInvest platform.

Come and expand your network with young professionals from a variety of different nationalities, careers and industries and gain insight into new ways to give your career that extra boost.

Don’t forget your business cards!

Program:

6:00 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.: Registration

6.30 p.m. – 6.40 p.m.: Welcome and introduction

6:40 p.m. – 7:20 p.m.: Workshop on Crowdfunding, moderated by Philip Van Steenwinkel, Stibbe.

7:20 p.m. – 8:25 p.m.: Speed-Networking

8:25 p.m. – 8:35 p.m.: Raffle draw

8.35 p.m. – 9.00 p.m.: Reception

Organized by:

American Chamber of Commerce in Belgium

American Chamber of Commerce to the European Union

Belgian-Chinese Chamber of Commerce

Belgian-Italian Chamber of Commerce

Belgium-Japan Association and Chamber of Commerce

Brussels Chamber of Commerce

International Chamber of Commerce in Belgium

Supported by:

Arab-Belgian-Luxembourg Chamber of Commerce

Chamber of Commerce Canada-Belgium-Luxembourg

Official Spanish Chamber of Commerce in Belgium and Luxembourg

The Belgian-Luxemburg-German Chamber of Commerce

The Belgian-Luxembourg Chamber of Commerce for Russia and Belarus

The Dutch Chamber of Commerce for Belgium and Luxembourg

Venue:

BNP Paribas Fortis, rue des Boiteux 12 Kreupelenstraat, 1000 Brussels

Fee: 25€

* This event is aimed at young professionals (< 40).

Register here. (links to Chinese Chamber website : http://bcecc.be/index.lasso?Lang=Lang1&PageID=13&ID=1446)

We sincerely hope you will be able to join us and the young professionals community in Brussels for what promises to be an outstanding evening!

Expats Financial Affairs 2016

31/08/2016

BNP Paribas Fortish, the exclusive sponsor for Programa Jóvenes, and the British Chamber of Commerce in Belgium organise the 19th of October the event Expats Financial Affairs 2016 with the objective to offer the expats in Belgium advise to manage their finances.

The Expats Financial Affairs 2016 integrates different activities. On the one hand, the assistants of this free event, which will be developed in English, participants will be able to attend to informative and interactive presentations about investments, pensions, self-employment and estate planning. On the other hand, the expats will get direct access to experts of this field who will advice them personally and who will answer to all of their doubts. Besides, the event will encourage the networking among the participants, who will enjoy free drinks and food.

If you want to register, please click here.

Event #Yes2Belgium: Prime Minister Charles Michel thanks the Chamber its support to Belgium as an attractive place for foreign investments

20/07/2016

The Official Spanish Chamber of Commerce in Belgium and Luxembourg coorganised, in collaboration with other 10 bilateral Chambers, an event the 22th June in Brussels, with the purpose of supporting Belgium as a safe investment place and as an attractive establishment location of foreign companies.

Under the slogan #Yes2Belgium, more than 360 distinguished guests, including business leaders, government officials and foreign diplomats, attended the event.

The Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel, who thanked personally the support of the Chamber to our Vice-President, Pablo López Álvarez, leaded the event.

During their conversation, Prime Minister Charles Michel was interested in Spanish investments in Belgium and the Chamber’s activities. Pablo López Álvarez, outlined the compromise of Spanish companies with Belgium and remembered that our country is the seventh commercial partner of Belgium.

Our Vice-President invited personally Charles Michel to participate as keynote speaker in a future luncheon-debate of our forum “Business Circle”, an invitation to which the Prime Minister answered positively.

This initiative arose due to the events that happened the 22th March in Brussels. This initiative then wanted to reiterate that the international business community, which directly employs about 700,000 people in Belgium, recognizes the country as an attractive place for investments, a safe place to do business and a great place to live.

Event organised by:

Creative Start-up Europe: Projects presentation

05/07/2016

Last 22 of June, the projects of the programme Creative Startup Europe were presented in Brussels in an event held in the Cervantes Institute, and counted with the representation of companies and public institutions, both local and Spanish.

The programme was organised by the Official Spanish Chamber of Commerce in Belgium and Luxembourg, Finnova and FIBICC, with the collaboration of the Department of Culture and the Department of Employment and Social Security of the Belgian Embassy. The aim of this event was to promote and support the entrepreneurial spirit of Spanish youth living in Belgium in the cultural sector and creative industries, as well as contributing to the employability of young people abroad.

It is expected that the participating entities will continue to organize activities enabling the submitted projects to start up.

Conference: “New tax measures adopted in Belgium for SMEs” with Rafaël Álvarez Campa – 22/06

27/06/2016

Last June 22th, the Chamber organized in Brussels, in collaboration with one of its members, Wantiez, Bailleux, Causin & Janssen Bruxelles, the conference “New measures adopted in Belgium in favor of the the SMEs”. Belgian representatives of the economic and fiscal sector attended to this event.

Rafaël Álvarez Campa, prosecutor of Wantiez, Bailleux, Causin & Janssen Bruxelles, presented the new fiscal measures adopted in Belgium to the federal and regional level for the small and medium enterprises. The speaker explained in detail the different measures and, later, the assistants had the opportunity to ask some questions.

One of the new fiscal measures at a federal level is the “tax shelter for the SMEs”. This recent measure is designated to every individual subscripted to new nominal shares or to the parts of a company recently set up with the reduction of taxes as a main fiscal advantage. Nonetheless, the speaker highlighted the impossibility to combine this fiscal measure with others, as the exclusion of the leaders of the societies as direct beneficiaries.

Within this category, the individuals subscripted to shares or to parts belonging to crowdfunding platforms and fund starters with a maximum to receive of the 250,000€ are considered direct beneficiaries. Also the SMEs are required to meet some requirements, as the necessity to own a document that points out some relevant data as the year of the acquisition of the shares and its continuous verification year after year. More precisely, the companies within this category were classified by size attending their general conditions: medium and small size enterprise, and other pertinent characteristics.

There are excluded of this fiscal measure the societies created out of a fusion or division of other societies, real estate companies, management enterprises, investment and treasury companies or societies in process of juridical reorganization. When it comes to the general conditions needed to benefit from this fiscal measure, the speaker pointed out some requirements for the societies to fulfill like the date of constitution (not later than January 2013) and the starting of its activities within the consecutive 48 months after being constituted. The company can be Belgian or foreign but established in Belgium.

Later on, the speaker talked about more specific cases related to small and micro societies. He highlighted the steps to follow in order to obtain the already mentioned fiscal advantages designated to Belgian residents and no Belgian residents. Within the measure “tax shelter”, the speaker emphasized the several direct or indirect investments with the help of an intermediator or starter found.

Secondly, it was explained the new fiscal measure of declaration of suspension of payments for individuals/SMEs that has been recently constituted. The speaker also talked about the possibility of not paying the totality of the professional retention, which represents a 10% for the natural persons and a 20% for the micro societies that comply with the criteria of the micro societies.

The beneficiaries of this fiscal exemption are the individuals and societies of recent creation registered in Banque-Carrefour up to 4 years. It is necessary to comply with some formalities to enjoy this fiscal advantage, as it is to have proof of documents of nominative and justified data of the already mentioned needed conditions. The individual and societies out of this fiscal measure are the employers in situations of difficulty or dissolution. The speaker also mentioned, as a peculiarity of this measure, the possibility to gather it with other fiscal exemptions.

In third place, the speaker introduced the next measure at the federal level. This is the exemption of interest payments of loans for emerging SMEs acquired through a “crowdfunding” platform and oriented to finance “new economic initiatives”. The three main advantages of this tax measure are: the exemption of the first 15,000 € borrowed, the limit exemption of interests the four first years of loan, and the exemption per year and per contributor. In the case of being exempted, there is no need to be declared by the lender. Nevertheless, including in the tax return the number of crowdfunding loans obtained will be needed.

Afterwards, the speaker wanted to outline that the concept of crowdfunding is not completely tackled in the Belgian legal system. However, for this measure to be executed, there are three players needed: a crowdfunding platform, which works as an intermediary, the entrepreneur and the investor. Once introduced this measure, the speaker explained at greater length the conditions for these players to be considered as so. Firstly, the firm engaged does not have to be necessarily Belgian o set up in Belgium. Secondly, the investor must be an individual with a proof of title, that in case of being the owner of the firm, will be excluded from this exemption.

At the Belgian federal level, the fourth and last tax measure was introduced with the name of “investments in digital sector”. This measure consists of a fiscal deduction for all those individuals and SMEs investing in capital and digital assets.

The players who will benefit from this measure are SMEs. Nevertheless, a set of criteria is needed for being considered as SME, such as having less than 4.5 million assets and a number of employees below 50.

Regarding investments in this sector, the general concept consists of integrating and exploiting digital invoicing and payment systems online. Investments in IT and digital equipment that enables invoicing, storing or singing digitally will be promoted. In conclusion, it could be said that investments considered in this new tax measure aim to reinforce security and privacy of ICT. The tax advantages obtained with this measure will be tax deductions when investing on digital capital and assets.

To finalize the conference, the speaker introduced tax measures at regional level in Belgium. The measures presented were: “coup de pouce”, loans in Wallonia, and “win-win” loans in Flanders.

The speaker spoke about the first measure outlining as one of the conditions to be benefit from it as to be legally stablished in Wallonia. “Coup de pouce” loans are loans to a SME or individuals (being the maximum quantity per contributor 50.000 € and 10.000€ per lender).

In exchange of this, the recipients could have a reduction of taxes, being excluded housing companies, management companies, companies in reorganization, companies created from a fusion or companies listed in the stock market. The speaker outlined as well the importance of the nature of the loans, which only given for entrepreneurial activities.

The second measure, “win-win” loans in Flanders, was introduced to the participants outlining that, in this case, the lender should be one Flemish SME, independently from the number of years from its establishment. Many of its characteristics are similar to the previously stated measure.

Àlvarez Campa finalized his intervention with a Q&A session. Among them, it can be outlined the case of tax reductions when hiring a first worker, that is, an exemption to the contribution to the Belgian social security. The speaker explained at great length this exemption with the example of tourist and hospitality sectors, sectors where of unreported employment is frequent and some regulatory tax measures are required in order to prevent that unreported hiring.

Extremadura wins the European Entrepreneur Region 2017 award

21/06/2016

Extremadura Autonomous Community was awarded with the European Entrepreneur Region 2017 Prize. This award recognizes the European regions that started up an innovative and outstanding strategy on entrepreneurship and which presents the most credible and advanced future plan.

Economy and Infrastructures’ Counselor, José Luis Navarro, received the award in Brussels from the European Committee of Regions’ President, Markky Markkyla. Thanks to this award, Extremadura will be named as the “European Entrepreneur Region” (EER) during the 2017 year.

The prize rewards the European regions following an outstanding and innovative strategy on entrepreneurship and recognizes the ones with a credible, advanced and promising future plan.

José Luis Navarro pointed out that promoting the entrepreneurship culture is not an option but a “compelling necessity for the future of our economy” and stated that “we are generating an integral ecosystem favourable for the entrepreneurship that has its referent in the educative system”.

Lower Austria and the Western Region of Greece received also the award. It entails a big responsibility, as the EER jury members will supervise regularly the execution of the planned measures.

Conference with Intertrust Luxembourg “Structuring investments in & with Spain”

21/06/2016

June 16th, Intertrust Luxembourg organized the conference “Structuring investments in & with Spain”, in collaboration with the Official Spanish Chamber of Commerce in Belgium and Luxembourg. The Ambassador of Spain in Luxembourg, Mr. Carlos de Lojendio, and many other representatives of the financial sector and other complementary services attended this event.

Sergio de Miguel-Jessel, Vice-president of the Official Spanish Chamber of Commerce in Belgium and Luxembourg, gave a welcome speech, presented the conference’s program, and introduced the speakers to the audience. In addition, he also thanked Intertrust for the collaboration with the Chamber in the organization of the event.

Rafael Calvo, associated of Garrigues, talked about investing in Spain from Luxembourg taking into account the actual fiscal scenario. He made an overview of the nowadays economic factors that contextualize the Spanish market of the multinationals opening a debate about “planning” and tax evasion. Furthermore, the speaker pointed out the principal factors that damage the international structural investments as the double imposition. To end up, Mr. Calvo mentioned the nowadays principal initiatives of the OECD, G20 and EU, like the directives of the package “anti-tax avoidance” as an attempt to correct the errors previously cited. In the second part of his speech he focused on the valid legislation of Spain when it comes to approved regulations to mitigate the tax barriers. He concluded proposing possible solutions to the problem such as an initial “filtering” of the structural investments.

Later on, Frank Welman, General Director of Intertrust Luxembourg, highlighted the most characteristic factors of the fiscal market of Luxembourg, as well as a varied offer of products and financial services and their fiscal and political stability. He presented a general vision of Intertrust Luxembourg emphasizing their costumers database in Europe and Latin-America, where the second biggest office of Intertrust is located.

Carmen Rozpide, General Director of Intertrust Spain, started pointed out the added value of the Spanish office of Intertrust Spain as a business gateway to make business with Latin-America. She went through the history of the Intertrust office in Spain since it was established in 1995; she highlighted its proximity to the client. Mrs. Rozpide focused on the diversity of the activity sectors of the clients of Intertrust Spain and their adaptation capacity towards new challenges, ensuring a personalized service adapted to each client.

To end up, Sergio de Miguel-Jessel opened a round of questions in which the audience had the opportunity to get their questions answered by the speakers. During the conversations, it was raised the possibility of a change concerning the Spanish fiscal scenario as a consequence of the actual political uncertainty.

Juan Rodríguez-Villa Matons closed up the event expressing his gratitude to Intertrust and to the audience.

After the conference, the participants enjoyed a cocktail and had the opportunity to Exchange opinions about the subjects earlier discussed.

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