INDIAN COMPANIES,
WE INVITE YOU TO
DO BUSINESS
IN FLANDERS
INDIAN COMPANIES,
ANSWER THE CALL OF FLANDERS
If you are looking for a strategic location for a new
business project, in whatever shape or form, Flanders
offers you a unique blend of advantages. Flanders is
the northern region of Belgium, with Brussels as its
capital. It is the gateway to Europe. Thousands of
foreign companies are already deriving great benefit
from the assets that Flanders boasts. Setting up or
expanding a business in the region can be sum­
marised into two words: smooth and easy.
NORWAY
SWEDEN
DENMARK
NETHERLANDS
IRELAND
UK
POLAND
FLANDERS
GERMANY
CZECH REP.
BELGIUM
AUSTRIA
FRANCE
UNIQUE
SOCIAL
SECURITY
TREATY
WITH INDIA
The Belgium-India Social Security Treaty,
originally signed on 3 November 2006, is
considered to be a landmark agreement
as it was the first of its kind to be negoti-
SWITZERLAND
ated by the Indian authorities. The Treaty
ITALY
PORTUGAL
came into force on 1 September 2009
and is currently largely applied by most
SPAIN
of the Indian employers who are
sending staff over to Belgium.
As a general rule, an employee who works
on the territory of one country is subject to
THE HEART OF EUROPE
the social security scheme of that country.
Over 60% of Europe’s purchasing power is situated within a tight 500 kilometre
Belgium – in compliance with overseas
radius around Flanders. This means customers can be reached and served
posting conditions – can remain subject
within record times. Flanders is close to large industrial and consumer areas,
to the Indian system and be exempt
such as the region around Paris, the Ruhr area, London, and the Amsterdam-
from paying Belgian social security
Randstad Area. In addition, Flanders’ capital Brussels is home to the European
contributions for up to five years with a
decision-making institutions. From Brussels, you can travel – by plane or by
possible extension. The same rules apply
Eurostar high-speed train – to other EU capitals in no time.
to assignments from Belgium to India.
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The Treaty, however, stipulates that an
Indian employee assigned to a position in
A WORK PERMIT IN NO TIME!
Flanders – and Belgium as a country – tries to attract as many third country
professionals as possible by adapting its immigration rules applicable to highly
qualified workers. A recent study conducted by the law firm Laga demonstrates
that the Belgian migration (work permit) process is by far the fastest and the
easiest to comply with in comparison with other European countries, such as the
UK, Germany, the Netherlands, France, Spain and Italy.
It only takes about two weeks’ time for third country professionals to obtain a work
permit in Belgium. The only prerequisites in this case are: a yearly gross salary in
excess of EUR 36,604 (indexed salary amount for 2011) and at least a bachelor’s
degree. Work permits for highly qualified employees are issued for a period of one
year, in Belgium, and can be extended on a yearly basis.
It certainly makes sense
for us to be present in Flanders’
automotive cluster in Belgium.
DID YOU KNOW?
• To help meet the needs of the
5 players in India’s polyester
The Detroit of Europe, as I call it.”
estimated 2,000 Indian people
Partially Oriented Yarns (POY)
Tej Soni, President of Izmocars.
in the Antwerp area in Flanders
sector. Even though the company
(Belgium), a new international
mainly focuses on the Indian
school is being built in the suburb
market, it never misses an
of Aartselaar, close to Antwerp
opportunity to cater for the
University. This will be the first
fast-growing polyester markets
European school run by the DY
worldwide. PET, for instance, is
Patil group, which manages
one of the most commonly used
more than 100 schools in India.
food grade packaging polymers.
The region of Flanders in
Belgium offers every asset we
need to stay put: a well-trained
workforce, the nearby presence of
state-of-the-art data centres and
advantageous cost structures for
real estate.”
Tej Soni, President of Izmocars.
During a three-day trip,
Scheduled to open in September
2012, it will teach around 400
pupils in English and will replace
privately-owned airline, chose
the recently closed Antwerp British
Brussels – the capital of both
School.
Flanders and Belgium – as its
European hub. This allows Jet
Flanders Investment & Trade
showed us the many possibilities
•J
et Airways, India’s biggest
• At the end of 2011, India-based
Airways’ passengers to connect
offered by the Flanders region in
JBF Industries and British
to New York and Toronto from
Belgium. We decided Antwerp
Petroleum (BP) signed a contract
Delhi, Mumbai, and Chennai and,
was the perfect setting for our
for the construction of a new
in addition, to over 58 European
European subsidiary. This location
PET facility in the town of Geel
destinations with Jet Airways’
will be a powerful instrument for
in Flanders (Belgium). An
partner airlines. At Brussels
our company to establish itself
investment of EUR 140 million is
Airport, Jet Airways ranks third
strongly in the European market.”
involved. This venture represents
in the top 5 major airlines,
the first European investment
after Brussels Airlines and
of JBF Industries, one of the top
Thomas Cook.
V. Krishnaram, CEO and Joint Managing
Director of Emrald Resilient Tyre
Manufacturers
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IMPRESSIVE
TRACK RECORD
Flanders has an impressive track
record when it comes to discovery
research and innovation across a
wide range of disciplines and a variety
of sectors. The region houses four
Strategic Research Centers that
collaborate with the academic and
business worlds and each have their
own specific focus. They are the birthplaces of cutting-edge technologies and
of the processes that shape tomorrow’s
society.
• IMEC is Europe’s leading research
center on nanoelectronics and
nanotechnology.
• VIB is a world-class center for
life sciences expertise.
• VITO excels in technological
research and consulting for
product innovation and improved
levels of business.
• IBBT is Flanders’ research
institute for ICT and broadband.
HIGHEST EDC DENSITY
In spite of a surface area of a mere 13,522 km2, Flanders is home to over
700 European Distribution Centers (EDCs). With an average of five EDCs per
100 km2, the region boasts the highest EDC density in Europe. It is, in short,
a paradise for any logistics operation. Flanders is among the world’s best when
it comes to the density of road, railroad and inland waterway networks.
Many multinationals already enjoy the advantages of serving Europe from
Flanders: Nike, Procter & Gamble, Samsonite, Black & Decker, Duracell,
SKF, Sara Lee, Bose, Toyota, Honda, Mazda, Volvo, Pfizer, Ranbaxy,
Decathlon, Emrald Resilient Tyre, etc. In the World Bank’s Logistics Performance
Index 2011, Flanders ranks 7th worldwide.
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POWERHOUSE
THE BELGIAN CAPITAL BRINGS TOGETHER:
BRUSSELS
• over 10,000 lobbyists
It would be logical to consider Brussels, the capital
• 150 law firms specialising in European law
of Flanders (Belgium), to be Europe’s lobbying
• 30 chambers of commerce
capital. Brussels is, after Washington DC (USA),
• over 1,000 accredited journalists
the world’s largest centre for advocacy.
• a permanent representation of over 220 regions
• 700 professional associations
• 400 organised interest groups
• 150 consultants
and federal entities
• 1300 HQs or sales subsidiaries of foreign companies
PRIME LOGISTICS SPACE
Although Flanders holds a long tradition in logistics, there is still availability here
and spare capacity for logistic units. The seaports of Antwerp, Zeebrugge, Ghent
and Ostend have no congestion. On average, half a million square metres are
rented out yearly. This space mainly concerns storage facilities of 5,000 m2 or
more, located in the ‘Golden Triangle’ of Antwerp-Brussels-Ghent. In 2010, prime
logistics space in Flanders traded at less than EUR 50/m2, according to CB Richard
Ellis – a global leader in real estate services. The prime rent in Belgium, of which
Flanders is the autonomous northern region, is one of the lowest in Western
Europe, thanks to its low property and building costs.
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(…) the notional interest deduction (tax deductable fictitious interest calculated on the basis of a company’s
shareholder’s equity). This confirms Belgium as an attractive location for the coordination of European activities.” (p140)
Flemish or Belgian executives are best known as hard and conscientious workers and excellent mediators. (…)
People who do well usually demonstrate great adaptability. Do Belgians have this more than others? It is of course
a small country, you’re quickly abroad. This creates a greater awareness of the relativity of your own culture.
And all kinds of different languages are spoken on this small patch of land, which means people are used to two-way
communication.” (p142-143)
Ajit Shetty , Chairman of the Board of Janssen Pharmaceutica. Quotes from 'Beyond Borders’.
DID YOU KNOW?
•T
he popular bat-and-ball game of cricket might
• In Flanders (Belgium), expatriate employees
very well have originated from Flanders. So,
enjoy a high standard of living. The social fibre is
cricket might not be so quintessentially English
strong and people are open-minded. The excellent
after all. Paul Campbell from the Australian
medical health care and education system ensure
National University in Canberra has uncovered a
a worry-free stay for expatriate employees and
reference to the sport in a poem written in 1533,
their families.
in which cricket is linked to Flemish weavers, who
settled in southern and eastern England from the
14th century as “kings of crekettes”.
•T
he European union is India’s most important
trade partner before USA, China and Dubai.
The bilateral trade with EU went up 21.5%
•T
he largest Jain temple outside India is located
to $110 billion during 2011-12. Belgium – and
in Wilrijk, nearby the city of Antwerp in Flanders
Flanders as a region - is the second trade partner
(Belgium).
of India in the EU. India imported $8,609.82 million
from and exported $6,296.21 million to Belgium,
• The city of Antwerp in Flanders (Belgium) is
says the Indian Department of Commerce.
world-renowned for its diamond district. In 2011,
the Antwerp diamond trade grew by 47%. A walk
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5 per cent of Belgian export to India is diamonds.
through the Antwerp diamond district will show
Imports of diamonds from Belgium are estimated
a cross section of the modern global diamond
at close to $3.3 billion according to the Indian
community, in which Indian diamond merchants
Department of Commerce.
are very well represented.
•F
landers counts five Indian financial institutions,
•T
he India Gate (originally called the All India War
namely the Bank of Baroda in Brussels and the
Memorial) is one of the largest war memorials in
Bank of India, ICICI Bank, the State Bank of India
India. Situated in the heart of New Delhi, the India
and the Union Bank of India in Antwerp.
Gate commemorates the 90,000 soldiers of the
erstwhile British Indian Army who lost their lives
fighting for the Indian Empire in World War I and
increase of about fifteen per cent in the number of
the Afghan Wars. The India Gate is a copy of the
Indian tourists staying in Flanders, up to 90,000
Menin Gate Memorial, situated in the town of Ypres
per night in 2011.
in Flanders (Belgium).
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• I n the past couple of years, there was an annual
PROFESSIONAL SUPPORT
IN SETTING UP
FLANDERS INVESTMENT & TRADE PROVIDES POTENTIAL DIRECT
INVESTORS WITH ASSISTANCE AND INFORMATION REGARDING:
Visit our website
• Site selection
for more information:
• Overview of all benefits, grants and incentives
www.investinflanders.com
• Introduction to decision-makers
and follow us on Twitter
• Legal aspects regarding setting up business locally
twitter.com/InvestFlanders
• Identification of business opportunities
• Integration into local community life
CLOSE TO YOU:
Flanders Investment & Trade has about
70 regional offices worldwide
to assist you, free of charge, wherever
you are. For Indian investors interested
in initiating commercial operations in
Flanders (Belgium), initial contact can
be made through our regional offices:
BANGALORE
MUMBAI
NEW DELHI
No. 102, 1 floor
Consulate General of Belgium
Embassy of Belgium
Prestige Poseidon
Thapar House, 5th floor
50 - N, Shantipath
139, Residency Road
Dr. Annie Besant Road
Chanakyapuri
Bangalore - 560 025
Mumbai - 400 030
New Delhi - 110 021
T: +91 80 22 22 99 21
T: +91 22 66 10 02 88
T: +91 11 42 42 81 00
Email: [email protected]
Email: [email protected]
Email: [email protected]
Gaucheretstraat 90
BE-1030 Brussels | Belgium
T: +32 2 504 88 71
Email: [email protected]
st
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Gaucheretstraat 90 | BE-1030 Brussels | Belgium
T +32 2 504 88 71 | F +32 2 504 88 88
[email protected] | www.investinflanders.com
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