1. The document discusses the formalities required for starting a business in Belgium, noting that over 63,000 startups were registered in 2009. 2. It outlines some of the key formalities including environmental licenses, establishing a company with a notary, registering with the Crossroads Bank for Enterprises, activating VAT registration, and complying with copyright laws. 3. The author advises starting the formalities early as some licenses can take months to obtain, and to get advice from start-up advisors to ensure all requirements are met before making large investments.

1. Getting your startup formalities done Lieven Fiers Bizcamp Antwerp Zenito Ondernemingsloket Dec. 2010