Since 15 January 2024, it is no longer necessary to prove management skills in order to start a business in the Brussels Region. This reform removes an administrative barrier, but also raises questions.
For years, a degree or proof of experience in management was required to start a business in Brussels. This requirement was abolished on 15 January 2024. The measure, decided by the Brussels government, is intended to make it easier to set up a business and harmonise the rules with other regions. While it simplifies the process, it also raises questions about the knowledge that every entrepreneur should have, whether they have a degree or not.
Less paperwork, more momentum?
The abolition of this administrative requirement brings Brussels in line with Flanders, which took the lead in 2018. According to the FPS Economy, Wallonia should follow suit in 2025, marking harmonisation at national level. This reform concerns non-regulated professions and is intended to encourage entrepreneurial projects, without imposing an academic filter.
However, while you will no longer be asked to prove your skills, this does not mean that they have become irrelevant. The classic steps remain unchanged: registration with the Crossroads Bank for Enterprises, choice of legal status, affiliation to a social insurance fund, and VAT registration. The FPS Economy, which initiated this measure, points out that certain professions remain subject to specific entry conditions, notably construction, hairdressing and body care.
A degree is no longer required, but…
By abolishing this requirement, Brussels is is placing its trust in aspiring entrepreneurs. However, this doesn’t mean that entrepreneurship can be improvised. Understanding a budget, managing cash flow, drawing up a business plan and complying with tax obligations are still essential to the survival of a business.
But there's nothing to stop you learning in other ways. There are online tools, workshops and accessible training courses, including those provided by Beci's experts. Abolishing the management degree as a condition of access to entrepreneurship is not the same as denying its usefulness. It's a way of saying that skills can be acquired in other ways.
To access the workshops and training courses organised by Beci, go to our agenda.