Limosa update for employees visiting Belgium
Restrictions loosened for seminar attendees, internal business meetings
BCD Travel In Motion, November 2007
Limosa is a program designed to reduce illegal employment in Belgium. It requires corporations to declare the nature of an individual's business in the country, the origin of the business, and certain other financial disclosures for all non-resident employees in the country for more than five consecutive days per month. It asks for sensitive information, such as a home address and a social security number. A potential fine of USD8,000 for each infraction of failing to file, and an additional penalty of imprisonment of up to two years for the foreign employer could also accompany each violation.
On October 10, 2007, the Belgian government issued an update to Limosa:
Foreign nationals who attend scientific seminars in Belgium are now completely exempt from the Limosa declaration requirement, regardless of the length of their stay in Belgium.
In addition, foreign nationals entering Belgium to attend group business meetings (e.g. client negotiations, strategy meetings) are exempt from Limosa for up to 20 calendar days per meeting, not to exceed 60 days per calendar year.
For more information, please visit www.limosa.be.