Reply to: One for the eurosceptics

[Joe Black]

Lucky b*stard!!

[Fleetwood]

No, petal.
Once you've got your five-year card, which I'd got from first time round, you have the same rights a Belgian national, so I just went back to the commune, told them I was back in Belgium, and they gave me another five-year card again, there and then. Cost €7.50.

[Joe Black]

Huh?, the Flemish version of the 5 month temp card they usually hand out to EU nationals when you first register.

[Fleetwood]

WTF's that??

[Joe Black]

Ahh, I see.

So I'm presuming that all they've given you so far is one of these (the french version though):

http://www.vmc.be/uploadedImages/Vre...se%20kaart.jpg

[Fleetwood]

Sorry, misunderstood you. I meant registering at the commune, which was easy. No, I'm still waiting for the numéro d'entreprise and VAT. Why I can't use my old VAT number, I don't know. When I first came here, there was no numéro d'entreprise for IT contractors, but this is now the case.

[Joe Black]

I've re-registered because I had my full Belgian papers from last time, so just told them I was back, and didn't have to produce anything else. Still waiting for VAT.....

So you've got the numéro d’entreprise/ondernemingsnummer then?, just not the VAT?

[Joe Black]

Same baseline as applied for contractor permits in (non-EU) Switzerland. Just to clarify, once you've got the registration certificate, is that it or is it just another hurdle ?
Merci beaucoup.

In theory, yes. But I wouldn't like to bet the house on it.

Rantor,

Sorry to hear you're dealing with the same b*llocks. I thought you had it all sorted but it seems not.

With regard the courses, I don't have a problem with the idea that everyone who wants to set up in business has to show some basic knowledge before they start, though what relevance knowing how to handle cash payments, finding the 'ideal' location for your business and such like is to IT contractors, well...

My gripe though is the fact that some Belgian apparently can say to me "yep, I was able to set up in business because I did art/economics (you name it) in high-school", while I have to provide even higher qualifications, which they can still turn down anyway.

Yep, been looking at sending the forms off to SOLVIT as well.

[Fleetwood]

So you still don't have a registration/vat no either?

I've re-registered because I had my full Belgian papers from last time, so just told them I was back, and didn't have to produce anything else. Still waiting for VAT.....

[Asterix]

Funny ha ha

And to think that Belgium is in the centre and Brussels/Bruxelles is the capital of Euro-la-land

[Rantor]

So you still don't have a registration/vat no either?

Joe.

I have had a few heated arguments with my Belgian chums regarding the rampant bureaucractic hell here.

Most people here seem to have an expectation that the state needs to look after you and that this sort of thing is a good idea to stop you getting into trouble in the big grown-up business world. In practice these courses are aimed at tupperware ladies and the ilk (no kidding) so it ain't surprising that no local IT contractors here do it. Apparently this crap is even worse if you want to start a company rather than go down the Travailleur Independent route.

We are still having problems with my other half's ID card after 18 months with me and my wee boy having 5 yr cards and here effectively being a 'sans papiers'

We are now going to contact the embassy here and talk to SOLVIT who apprently can help with these disputes.

[Asterix]

Interesting

Same baseline as applied for contractor permits in (non-EU) Switzerland. Just to clarify, once you've got the registration certificate, is that it or is it just another hurdle ?
Merci beaucoup.

[wendigo100]

Is there a term for the frustrations of dealing with bungling bureaucracy? I'm interested because I get the same way trying to deal with BY Yahoo. Not as serious as your sit of course, but it still makes me want to hit one of them.

[Joe Black]

So you still don't have a registration/vat no either?

[Fleetwood]

My problem was that I de-registered, which makes re-registering even more complicated.
The fact that I previously worked in Belgium as self-employed should theoretically help, but for some reason doesn't.