European law
A number of treaties were concluded between the European States, which are binding on all members of the European community and are reflected in regulations and directives. Today, we can say that about 80% of our national legislation is the result of what was decided jointly by the European Member States.
Economic fundamentals
The basic economic principle is the free movement of people , goods and services. This makes our country have free access to the markets of other European countries, and vice versa.
European Court of Justice
On the legal front, we have the European Court of Justice, where one can go for proceedings against European decisions that hinder the free market, among other things. Europe professes to be a champion of human rights. Those who feel their rights have been infringed, and have not been vindicated by their local courts, can turn to the European Court of Human Rights.
Financial interests
Many citizens have financial interests that are not limited to their own country.
– Are you employed abroad or working for a European company?
– Are you from a European country and enjoy income in Belgium as a non-resident; do you work in Belgium?
– Do you own a property in Europe, e.g. a second residence ?
– Are you a shareholder of a European company ?
In all these situations, the question arises in which country you will be subject to taxation.
In Belgium, all national residents are subject to personal income tax on the basis of all taxable income received both in Belgium and abroad.However, most states also levy a tax on non-residents on income received from this state (the source state). This leads to situations where you would have to pay taxes twice on the same income. Your specialised lawyer knows the legislation and procedures in this regard.
