Minister brings in three measures to help self-employed Belgian residents affected by Brexit

Minister brings in three measures to help self-employed Belgian residents affected by Brexit
Denis Ducarme, minister for the self-employed © Nicolas Maeterlinck/Belga

Denis Ducarme, federal minister for the self-employed, small businesses and agriculture, has announced the introductions of three measures aimed at helping out the self-employed affected by Brexit.

The United Kingdom is due to leave the European Union on 31 January, entering into a transition phase as it seeks a new relationship with the EU. Belgian businesses are expected to be seriously affected by the change.

In order to make the change slightly easier for the self-employed, Ducarme has organised a change to the way self-employed people pay their social security contributions. The measure takes three forms.

Firstly, social security payment can be reviewed downwards based on expected revenues for 2020, starting immediately for the first trimester.

In more serious cases, the payments due for the first and second trimesters may be postponed for a year, without any penalty for late payment or the loss of any rights linked to social security payments, such as medical insurance.

Finally, for those most severely affected by Brexit, a complete dispensation from social security payments for the first and second trimesters of 2020. Each application for one or other of these measures will be based on a demonstration of lost revenue as a result of Brexit.

By allowing the self-employed who find themselves in difficulties as a result of Brexit to benefit, depending on the individual case, from either a dispensation, a reduction or a postponement of social security payments, we are adding an extra tool to the ones put in place in recent months to support our businesses,” Ducarme said.

Alan Hope

The Brussels Times


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