Working in Belgium via Connexion

[A Good Man]

What to do next...

Agree with all the advice here - sit tight, don't agree to any of Connexion's implausible scheme's and wait to see what the fallout is.

[beCo09]

Thanks Pepso, I've started working with cnx last year.

Ok then, thank you for the advices, you're all right.

About 2 weeks ago, when I felt that something's wrong, I sent an email to BTA (anonymous, of course). I asked them about Connexion and if they are ok with Belgium regulations. They answered me this:

Monsieur,

Nous sommes à votre disposition pour toutes informations concernant Connexion Group.

Vous pouvez prendre rendez-vous avec notre service.

Veuillez agréer, Monsieur, l'expression de mes salutations distinguées

L'Inspecteur
F.CLARA
IMPÔTS ET RECOUVREMENT

<contact details removed>

I do not want to go to talk with them, for the same reasons you told me not to. But as you can see, there is something there they can provide us with some info about. Maybe it would be a good ideea to send a friend of a friend of a friend

J. Clarke told me last week that they are having a new "negotiation round" this Tuesday. It was yesterday, so we should have some news from them (theoretically).

[surfer]

J. Clarke told me last week that they are having a new "negotiation round" this Tuesday. It was yesterday, so we should have some news from them (theoretically).

I called yesterday afternoon because I had been told this meeting was going ahead on Tuesday - so I assumed there would be additional information. First I was told it had happened but the information had not yet been passed on to staff to distribute. Then later in the day when I called back I was told that the meeting with BTA "to finalise the accord" had been cancelled by the BTA because someone from their side was unable to attend. This is (supposedly) the third time this particular meeting has been scheduled and cancelled. If these are negotiations they are very one-sided and the BTA is definitely playing games with CNX. I suspect the only thing being "negotiated" is terms of surrender and they are becoming more unfavourable (to us contractors) as each day passes.

I have been researching past Belgian tax-amnesties (e.g. the amnesty issued in 2004/2005 for offshore account holders). It seems to me that normally the BTA puts a lot more effort in to inform all the parties and there is a clearly communicated basis on which back taxes will be calculated and paid.

The circus that we are currently seeing bears no resemblance to the way the BTA has operated in the past. Which leads me to think that there will be no accord/amnesty/agreement. I don´t think it would be a vote winner with the Belgian public to let a whole lot of foreign contractors off a shed-load of punitive fines - so not popular with the politicians that ultimately would have to give the nod to any amnesty.

This whole thing smells like a combination of a giant fishing expedition by the BTA and a misguided/desperate attempt by CNX to stay in the game.

Prepare your exit plans ...

[Rantor]

When you are in a hole, its sometimes a good idea to know when to stop digging

Every post on this thread is a step further into self-fulfilling prophecy territory.

[ContractorGR]

The circus that we are currently seeing bears no resemblance to the way the BTA has operated in the past. Which leads me to think that there will be no accord/amnesty/agreement.

or that BTA is not interested in chasing single contractors and they would be happy if all ManCos (starting from CNX) apply from now on to the ruling so BTA know from now on that they will get good part of the taxes from the Contractor's income (starting from 2009)

I don´t think it would be a vote winner with the Belgian public to let a whole lot of foreign contractors off a shed-load of punitive fines - so not popular with the politicians that ultimately would have to give the nod to any amnesty.

We are talking about a good number of Belgian Contractors too (what will they do with them?)
The result will be that foreigners contractors will leave Belgium and nobody would like to work anymore in Belgium under such conditions and although it is crisis times big companies cannot do without contractors. There will be a demand and a raise of daily rates to attract contractor to come back....it happened in Germany too where I know contractors leaving Germany after what happened 2 years back and now they are back to the same company(!)with 40% higher rate in order to cope with taxes!!

[BlasterBates]

Disagree with that taxes aren't high in Germany between 30-35%. That's what I paid, wouldn't demotivate me from working there.

[ContractorGR]

Disagree with that taxes aren't high in Germany between 30-35%. That's what I paid, wouldn't demotivate me from working there.

Well, 30-35% is ok (if it included social security)
I am just talking about some friends working in Munich a couple of years back and when their German agency told them they cannot use their management company anymore, they left! Market was better at that time...
Now the same company hired them back and they got a 35-40% higher rate (the excuse was that they have to pay more taxes now)....taxes is like VAT....it is just added on top of your invoice

[BlasterBates]

Well, 30-35% is ok (if it included social security)
I am just talking about some friends working in Munich a couple of years back and when their German agency told them they cannot use their management company anymore, they left! Market was better at that time...
Now the same company hired them back and they got a 35-40% higher rate (the excuse was that they have to pay more taxes now)....taxes is like VAT....it is just added on top of your invoice

good one

[acis]

good point

The result will be that foreigners contractors will leave Belgium and nobody would like to work anymore in Belgium under such conditions and although it is crisis times big companies cannot do without contractors. There will be a demand and a raise of daily rates to attract contractor to come back....it happened in Germany too where I know contractors leaving Germany after what happened 2 years back and now they are back to the same company(!)with 40% higher rate in order to cope with taxes!!

I'll sure pack my things and move on if no reasonable lead comes out of it. It's been quite a while now since this was dragged out and other than bad news nothing really seems to go around.

[ContractorGR]

good one

The problem is that you go to a foreign country asking a quite competitive rate (let's say 400/day) because you know you can use your management company so this rate may be low but you are happy with it
and suddenly they ask you to pay 50% taxes on it which becomes 200 euros per day.....(less than an employee!!!! no paid holidays, no sickness absence)
Then you have a problem....if you knew it from the begining you would have asked 600 per day and I am sure we would have managed to get that rate