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The enterprise number is a unique number used by the Belgian authorities to identify each business.

Because of this, businesses do not have to complete the same administrative formalities for different authorities each time. The Crossroads Bank for Enterprises (BCE/KBO) transmits this information to the various authorities.

The business number is ten digits long, starting with 0.

This is the number under which a business is registered with the National Social Security Office (NSSO) - in french.

The number is twelve digits long, with:

• an indicative number (3 digits),
• an actual registration number (7 digits), and
• a control number (2 digits).

The NISS number allows a person to be identified within the Belgian social security system. You will find this number on the back of your identity card.

A joint committee groups companies with similar activities together so they are subject to regulations adapted to the employment conditions.

Each employer falls under one or more joint committees. The General Directorate for Collective Labour Relations, under the Belgian Federal Public Service for Employment, Labour and Social Dialogue, can provide recommendations on which joint committee applies.

An employer is a person that employs personnel in accordance with an employment contract.

A client is a person that enlists the services of a professional by means of a service contract.

Under labour law, the concept of posting is based on European Directive 96/71/EC. This Directive defines posting as a situation in which an employer sends an employee to a country other than the country where the employee normally works. The employment relationship between the employer and the posted employee must remain in effect throughout the entire posting period. The undertaking posting its employees to other countries is required to observe a core of minimum mandatory rules of the host country.

The European Directive was transposed into Belgian law by the Belgian Act of 5 March 2002. This Act defines the posted employee as the employee performing work in Belgium who:

• Either normally works in the territory of one or more countries other than Belgium,
• Or was hired in a country other than Belgium.

Please note: it is not posting if a foreign undertaking hires an employee in Belgium on a permanent basis.

For further information, please see the section on Posting on the website of the Belgian Federal Public Service for Employment, Labour and Social Dialogue.

Activities in the real estate sector include construction, renovation, development, repair, maintenance, cleaning and demolition for all or part of a building.

For more information, please see the Notice for contractors for certain works and for principals/customers (in French).

If you are using Internet Explorer, you may have difficulties entering your business number into Limosa. There are two solutions to fix this problem:

• click on the icon in the address bar on the browser to modify the resolution, or
• use another browser (Firefox or Chrome).

It takes some time to send the confirmation email, due to the large number of requests processed by the Crossroads Bank for Social Security. If you do not receive a confirmation email within the month, get in touch with our Contact Centre.