(Editor’s note: This is Pt. 2 in a two-part series on freelancing in Belgium. You can jump to Pt. 1 here.)
Recently, I wrote Pt. 1 about what you should know before embarking on a journey as a freelancer. In Brussels, the heart of the European Union, this adventure begins with a lot of unpaid work and often stress. It is important to research, reach out to the relevant authorities, and find out what to do and when. Once you set up your social insurance fund and have everything in order, it is time to start looking for clients, doing the work and issuing invoices. In Belgium, invoicing is also subject to strict regulations.
But once you figure it out, things get easier.
Peppol: The what, the why, and the what do I need to do
If you are new to Belgium, it is important to understand the new digital invoice system that went into effect at the beginning of 2026.
Since new rules were announced this past July, Belgium requires all business-to-business (B2B) transactions to be conducted through structured e-invoicing.
This system applies all business owners and self-employed individuals and aims to reduce administrative costs associated with paper and PDF handling. In practice, I think the goal is to avoid tax fraud and push more businesses to improve VAT compliance. The idea is to also strengthen security through verified sender identity, encryption and fraud protection offered by Peppol.
At the core of the system are structured electronic invoices, a standardised format that can be automatically created, sent and processed. According to Einvoice, sending a PDF invoice by e-mail or via a platform will no longer be enough. Now, structured electronic invoices are sent via a decentralised network called Peppol (Pan-European Public Procurement Online). To send invoices via the network, businesses and freelancers need to use a software designed to use the network.
Freelancers can opt for digital tools such as Accountable, Billit, Twikey, and D Soft that allow for receiving and creating invoices via Peppol. The country has joined the Peppol network, and those businesses that are not yet part of it are set to face fines from the local authorities as of 1 April 2026.
Once set up, invoicing becomes straightforward with the right tool. You just have to fill in information regarding your client such as their company name and their address. Once you add this, their Peppol registration should automatically pop up on your invoice.
Quarterly payments and yearly payments
It is also important to keep in mind that besides paying VAT and social contributions, once a year you have to declare your income to the Belgian Tax Authorities and pay your income tax. Depending on your income, this could be up to 50 percent. In Belgium, this can be done from the end of April to July.
When filing your quarterly and yearly documents, maybe it is wiser to hire an accountant. The procedure here may seem straightforward – you upload your income statement and your expense papers on the website of the tax authorities, but I personally decided to hire an accountant to do this for me. I do not speak French, so I was afraid of making mistakes. They helped me fill in everything and I successfully wrapped my tax declaration in 2025.
In addition to this, when managing your social contributions, make sure you know how much to pay and when. If you are late with payments, you may accumulate interest which is something unnecessary. Keep in touch with your fund and speak to them as often as possible. You will most likely receive a point of contact assigned so do not shy away from sending them questions.
Another thing I personally learned to practice more is that everything takes time here. So processing is longer, people may respond within two weeks. While patience is important, if you need something urgently make sure to follow up or call. From my experience, calls usually do the trick and allows you to bypass certain gatekeeping that is impossible to overcome via email.
If you have decided to freelance in Belgium, also take a minute to remember that that the rules in Brussels, Flanders, and Wallonia may differ slightly. Research this on your local level and make the best-informed choice.
Bonus advice
Here are some of the things that I learned the hard way to do:
- Track everything and look for written confirmation. Whether this is a client, trade union or your social insurance fund. This will save you many struggles long-term.
- Always take into account language – if there is somebody offering a certain service in English, consider it. Dealing with people who are not English speakers is not easy.
- Use digital tools for bookkeeping, reviewing, and for tracking, reminders and schedule. Often, I forget about them, but I am doing my best to utilize them more and more.
- If you can, go to a co-working space. It is one of the things I would like to change this year.
Wrap up
Freelancing can initially feel overwhelming with its digital systems, policies, and language barriers. However, once you understand its structure and organise your system, it will get manageable. Of course, the right tools and the right sources help a lot.
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Read more about Belgium here in Dispatches’ archives.
See more from Polya here.
Polya Pencheva
Polya Plamenova Pencheva is a young Bulgarian journalist based in Brussels, Belgium. Polya holds a Master's degree in journalism from Rijksuniversiteit Groningen and loves writing and telling the untold stories of interesting people. You can find her dining at cute café, shopping at markets, scouting second-hand shops or just chillin' at home with something great to read.
