Belgium

Data Sources
Company Identifiers
Search Capabilities
Quirks & Gotchas
Mappings
Data Availability
Example API Responses

Data Sources

Belgium uses a dual-source strategy combining open data with live registry enrichment. For a given entity, base data comes from BCE Open Data (fast, pre-loaded) and is enriched in parallel by CBE Public Search (slower, extracted from the public portal) for fields not available in the open data. Both sources run in parallel and their results are streamed progressively to the client.

All entity types

BCE Open Data (Banque-Carrefour des Entreprises / Kruispuntbank van Ondernemingen) — The Belgian open data portal operated by the FPS Economy. Updated regularly, this dataset covers ~2.5 million enterprises and provides base company data: legal name (multilingual), status, legal form, registration date, NACE activity codes, registered address, contact information (phone, website), and establishments. This is the primary source for fast company profiles.
CBE Public Search (kbopub.economie.fgov.be) — The public web interface of the Crossroads Bank for Enterprises. Used as an enrichment source running in parallel with BCE Open Data, providing data not available in the open dataset: legal representatives, other key persons (auditors, supervisory board), share capital, and additional establishment details. For companies not found in BCE Open Data (e.g., recently closed companies), CBE provides the complete profile in full mode.

Documents

NBB CBSO (National Bank of Belgium — Central Balance Sheet Office) — Official API (consult.cbso.nbb.be) operated by the National Bank of Belgium. Provides financial statements (annual accounts, consolidated accounts, holding company accounts) filed by Belgian companies. Documents are available in PDF, XBRL, and CSV formats depending on how they were submitted.
eJustice / Moniteur Belge (Belgian Official Gazette) — The official publication portal (ejustice.just.fgov.be) operated by the FPS Justice. Provides legal publications including articles of association, appointments/resignations, capital changes, registered office changes, and other official company modifications. All publications are in PDF format.
Belgian UBO Registry — The official UBO register operated by the FPS Finance (Treasury). Provides ultimate beneficial owner data and UBO extract PDFs. No public API exists; data is extracted from the registry’s web interface.

BCE Open Data is batch-synced from the FPS Economy because this is the only available access method for the full open dataset. The CBE Public Search portal provides live data but no structured API exists — data must be extracted from the web interface. This is a Belgian government infrastructure limitation.

How do the two sources work together?

The system runs both sources in parallel for maximum speed:

BCE Open Data (fast, ~1s): Returns base company data immediately — name, status, legal form, activities, address, contact info, establishments
CBE Public Search (slower, ~5-10s): Returns enrichment data — legal representatives, other key persons, share capital

If a company is not found in BCE Open Data (e.g., recently closed or recently created), CBE switches to full mode and returns all company data including base fields.Key Principle: Both sources are streamed progressively. The client receives base data almost immediately, then enrichment data arrives as CBE completes.

Company Identifiers

Query Identifiers

Belgium uses a single identifier system through the BCE/KBO (Crossroads Bank for Enterprises):

Identifier	Format	Example	Notes
Enterprise Number	10 digits: `0XXX.XXX.XXX`	`0403.227.515`	Primary identifier for all entity types
Enterprise Number (no dots)	10 digits: `0XXXXXXXXX`	`0403227515`	Also accepted, auto-normalized
Enterprise Number (9 digits)	9 digits: `XXXXXXXXX`	`403227515`	Missing leading zero, auto-padded
VAT Number	`BE` + 10 digits	`BE0403227515`	Also accepted as query input

Automatic Normalization: The API accepts enterprise numbers in any of the above formats. All inputs are automatically normalized to the canonical format 0XXX.XXX.XXX (with dots) before querying.

Identifiers in API Response

Identifier Type	Format	Example	Notes
`Numero BCE`	`0XXX.XXX.XXX`	`0403.227.515`	Always present, canonical format with dots

Identifier naming: The identifier key in the API response is Numero BCE (French: Crossroads Bank for Enterprises number). This is the single, universal identifier for all Belgian entities — commercial companies, sole proprietors, non-profits, and public entities alike.

Search Capabilities

Search Type	Pattern	Example	Match Type	Expected Results
By Enterprise Number (dots)	`0XXX.XXX.XXX`	`0403.227.515`	Exact	Single company (1 result)
By Enterprise Number (no dots)	`0XXXXXXXXX`	`0403227515`	Exact	Single company (1 result)
By VAT Number	`BE` + 10 digits	`BE0403227515`	Exact	Single company (1 result)
By Company Name	Text string	`"KBC Group"`	Fuzzy	Multiple results

Search uses both a pre-built index and live registry lookups. Name searches query an index built from BCE Open Data for fast results. Identifier searches also perform live CBE Public Search lookups as a fallback to ensure the most up-to-date data.

Multilingual names: Belgian companies have names in up to four languages (French, Dutch, German, English). Search matches across all language variants. The API returns the English name when available, falling back to French, then Dutch, then German.

Quirks & Gotchas

Quirk	Details
Dual-source streaming model	Company profiles are assembled from two sources running in parallel (BCE Open Data + CBE). Initial data arrives fast (~1s), enrichment data (legal reps, capital) arrives later (~5-10s).
Multilingual company names	Belgium has four official languages. Legal names follow priority: English > French > Dutch > German. Other language variants appear as `commercialNames`.
BCE Open Data has no legal reps	The open dataset does not include legal representatives, other key persons, or capital. These come exclusively from CBE Public Search.
CBE has no structured API	The CBE Public Search portal is a web interface, not a structured API. Data extraction depends on the portal’s format, which may change without notice.
Shareholders are AI-extracted	Belgium has no structured shareholder registry. Shareholders are reconstructed by AI from financial documents (annual accounts). Quality depends on document availability.
UBO data has no public API	The Belgian UBO Registry has no public API. Data is extracted from the registry’s web interface, which is slower and may occasionally be unavailable.
Company status uses juridical situation codes	BCE distinguishes `AC` (Active) and `ST` (Stopped/Ceased) at the top level. The `juridicalSituation` code provides a richer standardised status in `statusDetails`, including `UNDER_INSOLVENCY_PROCEEDING` for ongoing bankruptcy or reorganisation proceedings and specific `closureReason` values (e.g. `BANKRUPTCY`, `VOLUNTARY_DISSOLUTION`, `MERGER`, `SPLIT`). See Juridical Situation Codes for the full mapping.
Registration date = Incorporation date	Both `registrationDate` and `incorporationDate` return the same value — the BCE `start_date` field. In Belgium, registration and incorporation happen simultaneously upon filing with the BCE. The registry does not distinguish between the two concepts.
VAT is verified via VIES	The VAT number (which equals the enterprise number with a `BE` prefix) is verified against the EU VIES registry using a qualified check. The response includes a `consultationNumber` that serves as legal proof of verification. See VAT Verification for details.
Establishments are branch locations	Establishments represent physical branch/office locations where the company operates, separate from the registered office. A company can have multiple establishments, each with its own ID, name, creation date, and address. BCE Open Data only includes active establishments.
NACE codes without descriptions	BCE Open Data provides NACE codes but no descriptions. CBE provides both code and description. When BCE is the source, NACE descriptions may be absent.
Financial statements in 3 formats	NBB CBSO financial statements filed electronically (XBRL/ZIP) are available in PDF, XBRL, and CSV. Paper-filed statements are not downloadable.
eJustice publications are free	All Moniteur Belge publications are free to download. They cover the full publication history of a company.
Establishment addresses as fallback	For sole proprietors with no registered seat address, the system uses the sole establishment address as the legal address.

Mappings

Company Status

Company status is determined deterministically from BCE Open Data and CBE Public Search — no AI inference is involved. The BCE status field provides a binary active flag (AC / ST). The juridicalSituation code adds a richer layer, surfaced in the status.statusDetails object:

Field	Description
`status.active`	`true` (BCE code `AC`) or `false` (BCE code `ST`)
`status.localName`	French label from the juridical situation code (e.g. `Ouverture de faillite`)
`status.statusDetails.status`	Standardised enum: `ACTIVE`, `UNDER_INSOLVENCY_PROCEEDING`, `CLOSED`, `UNKNOWN`
`status.statusDetails.closureReason`	Closure reason enum when applicable (see table below)
`status.statusDetails.insolvencyStartDate`	Date insolvency proceedings began (for ongoing proceedings)
`status.statusDetails.closureDate`	Date the company was formally closed

Juridical Situation Codes

The KBO/CBE assigns each enterprise a juridical situation code from the official A152 code list. The mapping to standardised values is:

Active states

Code	French label	Standardised status
000	Situation normale	`ACTIVE`
001	Création juridique	`ACTIVE`
002	Prorogation	`ACTIVE`
003	Remplacement du numéro	`ACTIVE`
090	Nouveaux statuts	`ACTIVE`
100	Identification de l’entreprise	`ACTIVE`

Insolvency proceedings (company still exists)

Code	French label	Standardised status	Closure reason
048	Ouverture faillite (excusable)	`UNDER_INSOLVENCY_PROCEEDING`	`BANKRUPTCY`
049	Ouverture faillite (inexcusable)	`UNDER_INSOLVENCY_PROCEEDING`	`BANKRUPTCY`
050	Ouverture de faillite	`UNDER_INSOLVENCY_PROCEEDING`	`BANKRUPTCY`
091	Sursis (réorganisation)	`UNDER_INSOLVENCY_PROCEEDING`	—
040	Sursis provisoire	`UNDER_INSOLVENCY_PROCEEDING`	—
041	Sursis définitif	`UNDER_INSOLVENCY_PROCEEDING`	—
030	Concordat avant faillite	`UNDER_INSOLVENCY_PROCEEDING`	`BANKRUPTCY`

Closed — dissolution

Code	French label	Standardised status	Closure reason
010	Dissolution de plein droit	`CLOSED`	`ADMINISTRATIVE_DISSOLUTION`
012	Dissolution anticipée	`CLOSED`	`VOLUNTARY_DISSOLUTION`
013	Dissolution judiciaire	`CLOSED`	`COURT_ORDER`
014	Clôture de liquidation	`CLOSED`	`LIQUIDATION`
011	Arrêt des activités en Belgique	`CLOSED`	`OTHER`
015	Arrêt d’une entreprise	`CLOSED`	`OTHER`
016	Cessation d’activité	`CLOSED`	`OTHER`
017	Transfert d’une entreprise	`CLOSED`	`OTHER`
018	Cessation de l’identification	`CLOSED`	`OTHER`
019	Cessation EDRL ou Non UE	`CLOSED`	`OTHER`

Closed — mergers & splits

Code	French label	Standardised status	Closure reason
020	Réunion des parts	`CLOSED`	`MERGER`
021	Fusion par absorption	`CLOSED`	`MERGER`
022	Fusion par constitution	`CLOSED`	`MERGER`
023	Scission	`CLOSED`	`SPLIT`
024	Scission par absorption	`CLOSED`	`SPLIT`
025	Scission par constitution	`CLOSED`	`SPLIT`
026	Scission mixte	`CLOSED`	`SPLIT`

Closed — bankruptcy concluded

Code	French label	Standardised status	Closure reason
051	Clôture faillite (excusable)	`CLOSED`	`BANKRUPTCY`
052	Clôture faillite (inexcusable)	`CLOSED`	`BANKRUPTCY`
053	Clôture de faillite	`CLOSED`	`BANKRUPTCY`
031	Concordat après faillite	`CLOSED`	`BANKRUPTCY`
042	Révocation du sursis	`CLOSED`	`OTHER`
043	Fin du sursis	`CLOSED`	`OTHER`
006	Arrêtée pour remplacement	`CLOSED`	`OTHER`

Other / Unknown

Code	French label	Standardised status
999	Dossier annulé	`UNKNOWN`

The BCE Open Data uses the juridical situation code directly. The CBE Public Search portal displays the French label (e.g. “Ouverture de faillite”) which is reverse-mapped to the same standardised values. Both paths converge on status.statusDetails.

Registration & Incorporation Dates

Both registrationDate and incorporationDate return the same value — the BCE start_date field. In Belgium’s BCE/KBO system, registration and legal creation happen simultaneously upon filing. The registry maintains a single date per enterprise.

Field	Value	Source
`registrationDate`	Enterprise start date	`bce_enterprises.start_date`
`incorporationDate`	Enterprise start date (same)	`bce_enterprises.start_date`

This is distinct from establishment creation dates (establishments[].creationDate), which represent when individual branch locations were opened — these can differ from the enterprise start date.

VAT Verification

The Belgian VAT number equals the enterprise number prefixed with BE (e.g. BE0403227515). VAT verification is performed against the EU VIES registry (VAT Information Exchange System) using a qualified check that includes a requester VAT number.

Field	Description
`taxId.type`	`EU_VAT`
`taxId.value`	Enterprise number without `BE` prefix (e.g. `0403227515`)
`taxId.country`	`BE`
`taxId.verification.status`	`VERIFIED`, `UNVERIFIED`, or `UNAVAILABLE`
`taxId.verification.verifiedAt`	ISO 8601 timestamp of the verification
`taxId.verification.verifiedName`	Company name as registered with VIES
`taxId.verification.verifiedAddress`	Address as registered with VIES
`taxId.verification.consultationNumber`	Legal proof of the VIES verification

Legal proof: The consultationNumber returned by VIES serves as official proof that the VAT number was verified at the given time. This is the same identifier you would get from the EU VIES web portal.

Establishments

Establishments represent physical branch locations where a company operates (offices, warehouses, retail locations), separate from the company’s registered office. A company can have multiple establishments.

Field	Company Registration	Establishment
Identifier	Enterprise number (`0XXX.XXX.XXX`)	Establishment number (separate ID)
Date	`registrationDate` / `incorporationDate`	`creationDate` (when the branch was opened)
Address	`legalAddress` (registered office)	`address` (branch physical location)
Count	One per company	Multiple per company

Each establishment includes:

Field	Description
`id`	Unique establishment number
`name`	Branch name (from denominations, or fallback to company name + city)
`creationDate`	Date the branch was established
`active`	Whether the branch is currently active
`address`	Physical address of the branch

BCE Open Data only includes active establishments. Inactive/closed establishments are only available through CBE Public Search. If a sole proprietor has no registered office address but has exactly one establishment, that establishment’s address is used as the legalAddress.

Legal Forms

Belgium uses the KBO/BCE juridical form codelist maintained by the FPS Economy. The mapping to standardized forms and ISO 20275 (ELF) codes is deterministic — a formal lookup table maps each code to its French name, English translation, standardized category, and ISO 20275 code.

Key Business Forms (2019 Code of Companies and Associations)

These are the modern legal forms introduced by the 2019 Code of Companies and Associations (CSA/WVV), which replaced most older forms:

Code	French Name	English Translation	Standardized	ISO 20275
610	Societe a responsabilite limitee	Private Limited Company (BV/SRL)	Limited Liability Company	3W7E
014	Societe anonyme	Public Limited Company	Corporation	R85P
612	Societe en commandite	Limited Partnership (CommV/SComm)	Partnership	MQH3
706	Societe cooperative	Cooperative Company	Cooperative	28FE
027	Societe europeenne (Societas Europaea)	European Company (Societas Europaea)	Corporation	36KV

Pre-2019 Business Forms (Old Statutes)

Companies incorporated before the 2019 reform may still carry these legal forms:

Code	French Name	English Translation	Standardized	ISO 20275
015	Societe privee a responsabilite limitee	Private Limited Liability Company	Limited Liability Company	N5NT
010	Societe privee a responsabilite limitee unipersonnelle	Single-Member Private Limited Liability Company	Limited Liability Company	C609
011	Societe en nom collectif	General Partnership	Partnership	UW1Y
012	Societe en commandite simple	Limited Partnership	Partnership	LWV6
013	Societe en commandite par actions	Partnership Limited by Shares	Partnership	U2PN
016	Societe cooperative (ancien statut)	Cooperative Company (Old Statute)	Cooperative	28FE

Cooperative Companies

Code	French Name	English Translation	Standardized	ISO 20275
001	Societe cooperative europeenne	European Cooperative Society	Cooperative	YBHM
006	Societe cooperative a responsabilite illimitee	Cooperative Company with Unlimited Liability	Cooperative	LWHF
007	Societe cooperative a responsabilite illimitee et solidaire	Cooperative Company with Unlimited and Joint Liability	Cooperative	LWHF
008	Societe cooperative a responsabilite limitee	Cooperative Company with Limited Liability	Cooperative	8E2A
009	Societe cooperative a responsabilite limitee, cooperative de participation	Cooperative Company with Limited Liability, Participation Cooperative	Cooperative	8E2A
106	Societe cooperative a responsabilite illimitee de droit public	Public Law Cooperative Company with Unlimited Liability	Cooperative	EXY8
107	Cooperative a responsabilite illimitee de droit public	Public Law Cooperative with Unlimited Liability	Cooperative	EXY8
108	Societe cooperative a responsabilite limitee de droit public	Public Law Cooperative Company with Limited Liability	Cooperative	X8ZK
109	Societe cooperative a responsabilite limitee de droit public	Public Law Cooperative Company with Limited Liability	Cooperative	X8ZK
116	Societe cooperative de droit public (ancien statut)	Public Law Cooperative Company (Old Statute)	Cooperative	JAM3
716	Societe cooperative de droit public	Public Law Cooperative Company	Cooperative	JAM3

Non-Profit Organizations

Code	French Name	English Translation	Standardized	ISO 20275
017	Association sans but lucratif	Non-Profit Association	Nonprofit Organization	W3WH
018	Etablissement d’utilite publique	Public Utility Institution	Nonprofit Organization	QZIS
019	Mutualite / Societe Mutualiste	Mutual Society / Mutual Insurance Company	Nonprofit Organization	-
020	Union professionnelle	Professional Association	Nonprofit Organization	-
021	Association d’assurances mutuelles	Mutual Insurance Association	Nonprofit Organization	-
022	Organisation scientifique internationale de droit belge	International Scientific Organization under Belgian Law	Nonprofit Organization	-
026	Fondation privee	Private Foundation	Nonprofit Organization	Y1Q4
028	Institution sans but lucratif	Non-Profit Institution	Nonprofit Organization	8YLB
029	Fondation d’utilite publique	Public Utility Foundation	Nonprofit Organization	ZUHK
070	Association des coproprietaires	Co-Owners’ Association	Nonprofit Organization	-
117	Association sans but lucratif de droit public	Public Law Non-Profit Association	Nonprofit Organization	EDMK
123	Corporation professionnelle / Ordre	Professional Corporation / Order	Nonprofit Organization	-
125	Association internationale sans but lucratif	International Non-Profit Association	Nonprofit Organization	V03J
128	Temporel des cultes / Etablissement cultuel public	Religious Temporal / Public Religious Institution	Nonprofit Organization	-
217	Parti politique europeen	European Political Party	Nonprofit Organization	-
218	Fondation politique europeenne	European Political Foundation	Nonprofit Organization	-
325	Association internationale sans but lucratif de droit public	Public Law International Non-Profit Association	Nonprofit Organization	V03J
724	Syndicat	Trade Union	Nonprofit Organization	-

Civil Companies

Code	French Name	English Translation	Standardized	ISO 20275
206	Societe civile sous forme de societe cooperative a responsabilite illimitee	Civil Company as Cooperative with Unlimited Liability	Cooperative	WTLP
208	Societe civile sous forme de societe cooperative a responsabilite limitee	Civil Company as Cooperative with Limited Liability	Cooperative	O5HQ
211	Societe civile sous forme de societe en nom collectif	Civil Company as General Partnership	Partnership	U5KF
212	Societe civile sous forme de societe en commandite simple	Civil Company as Limited Partnership	Partnership	T922
213	Societe civile sous forme de societe en commandite par actions	Civil Company as Partnership Limited by Shares	Partnership	KLBO
214	Societe civile sous forme de societe anonyme	Civil Company as Public Limited Company	Corporation	XQZX
215	Societe civile sous forme de societe privee a responsabilite limitee	Civil Company as Private Limited Liability Company	Limited Liability Company	V8L7
225	Societe civile sous forme de societe agricole	Civil Company as Agricultural Company	Partnership	UCT9

Social Purpose Companies

Code	French Name	English Translation	Standardized	ISO 20275
506	Societe cooperative a responsabilite illimitee a finalite sociale	Cooperative with Unlimited Liability with Social Purpose	Cooperative	4E5P
508	Societe cooperative a responsabilite limitee a finalite sociale	Cooperative with Limited Liability with Social Purpose	Cooperative	2QSA
510	Societe privee a responsabilite limitee unipersonnelle a finalite sociale	Single-Member Private Limited Company with Social Purpose	Limited Liability Company	PVT3
511	Societe en nom collectif a finalite sociale	General Partnership with Social Purpose	Partnership	B910
512	Societe en commandite simple a finalite sociale	Limited Partnership with Social Purpose	Partnership	XLEO
513	Societe en commandite par actions a finalite sociale	Partnership Limited by Shares with Social Purpose	Partnership	1TX8
514	Societe anonyme a finalite sociale	Public Limited Company with Social Purpose	Corporation	V7FT
515	Societe privee a responsabilite limitee a finalite sociale	Private Limited Liability Company with Social Purpose	Limited Liability Company	JNAD
560	Groupement d’interet economique a finalite sociale	Economic Interest Grouping with Social Purpose	Partnership	O59C
606	Societe cooperative a responsabilite illimitee et a finalite sociale	Cooperative with Unlimited Liability and Social Purpose	Cooperative	4E5P
608	Societe cooperative a responsabilite limitee a finalite sociale	Cooperative with Limited Liability and Social Purpose	Cooperative	2QSA
614	Societe anonyme a finalite sociale	Public Limited Company with Social Purpose	Corporation	V7FT
651	Autre forme a finalite sociale de droit public	Other Public Law Form with Social Purpose	Government-Owned Entity	-

Public Law & Government Entities

Code	French Name	English Translation	Standardized	ISO 20275
110	Etat, Province, Region, Communaute	State, Province, Region, Community	Government-Owned Entity	-
114	Societe anonyme de droit public	Public Law Public Limited Company	Government-Owned Entity	TPTU
124	Etablissement public	Public Institution	Government-Owned Entity	QZIS
126	Centre public d’action sociale	Public Social Welfare Centre	Government-Owned Entity	-
127	Monts-de-Piete	Pawnshop	Government-Owned Entity	-
129	Polder / wateringue	Polder / Wateringue	Government-Owned Entity	-
155	Zone de police locale	Local Police Zone	Government-Owned Entity	-
160	Organisme public etranger ou international	Foreign or International Public Body	Government-Owned Entity	-
301	Service public federal	Federal Public Service	Government-Owned Entity	-
302	Service public federal de programmation	Federal Public Programming Service	Government-Owned Entity	-
303	Autre service federal	Other Federal Service	Government-Owned Entity	-
310	Autorite de la Region flamande et de la Communaute flamande	Flemish Region and Community Authority	Government-Owned Entity	-
320	Autorite de la Region wallonne	Walloon Region Authority	Government-Owned Entity	-
330	Autorite de la Region de Bruxelles-Capitale	Brussels-Capital Region Authority	Government-Owned Entity	-
340	Autorite de la Communaute francaise	French Community Authority	Government-Owned Entity	-
350	Autorite de la Communaute germanophone	German-speaking Community Authority	Government-Owned Entity	-
370	Ministere des Affaires economiques	Ministry of Economic Affairs	Government-Owned Entity	-
371	Ministere des Affaires etrangeres, Commerce exterieur et Cooperation au Developpement	Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation	Government-Owned Entity	-
372	Ministere de l’Agriculture	Ministry of Agriculture	Government-Owned Entity	-
373	Ministere des Classes moyennes	Ministry of Small and Medium Enterprises	Government-Owned Entity	-
374	Ministere des Communications	Ministry of Communications	Government-Owned Entity	-
375	Ministere de la Defense	Ministry of Defence	Government-Owned Entity	-
376	Ministere de l’Education nationale et de la Culture	Ministry of National Education and Culture	Government-Owned Entity	-
377	Ministere de l’Emploi et du Travail	Ministry of Employment and Labour	Government-Owned Entity	-
378	Ministere des Finances	Ministry of Finance	Government-Owned Entity	-
379	Ministere de l’Interieur	Ministry of the Interior	Government-Owned Entity	-
380	Ministere de la Justice	Ministry of Justice	Government-Owned Entity	-
381	Ministere de la Prevoyance sociale	Ministry of Social Welfare	Government-Owned Entity	-
382	Ministere de la Sante publique et de la Famille	Ministry of Public Health and Family	Government-Owned Entity	-
383	Services du Premier Ministre	Prime Minister’s Services	Government-Owned Entity	-
384	Ministere des Communications et de l’Infrastructure	Ministry of Communications and Infrastructure	Government-Owned Entity	-
385	Ministere de la Communaute flamande	Flemish Community Ministry	Government-Owned Entity	-
386	Ministere de la Communaute francaise	French Community Ministry	Government-Owned Entity	-
387	Ministere de la Region de Bruxelles-Capitale	Brussels-Capital Region Ministry	Government-Owned Entity	-
388	Ministere de la Region wallonne	Walloon Region Ministry	Government-Owned Entity	-
389	Ministere de la Communaute germanophone	German-speaking Community Ministry	Government-Owned Entity	-
390	Ministere de la Fonction publique	Ministry of Public Service	Government-Owned Entity	-
391	Ministere des Classes moyennes et de l’Agriculture	Ministry of SMEs and Agriculture	Government-Owned Entity	-
392	Ministere des Affaires sociales, de la Sante publique et de l’Environnement	Ministry of Social Affairs, Public Health and Environment	Government-Owned Entity	-
400	Autorite provinciale	Provincial Authority	Government-Owned Entity	-
401	Organisme immatricule par l’ONSS-APL	Organization Registered with NSSO-LPA	Government-Owned Entity	-
411	Ville / commune	Town / Municipality	Government-Owned Entity	-
412	Centre public d’action sociale	Public Social Welfare Centre	Government-Owned Entity	-
413	Police locale	Local Police	Government-Owned Entity	-
414	Intercommunale	Intermunicipal Company	Government-Owned Entity	-
415	Association de projet	Project Association	Government-Owned Entity	-
416	Association prestataire de services (Region flamande)	Service Provider Association (Flemish Region)	Government-Owned Entity	6DGX
417	Association chargee de mission (Region flamande)	Mission-Assigned Association (Flemish Region)	Government-Owned Entity	MGCM
418	Regie communale autonome	Autonomous Municipal Enterprise	Government-Owned Entity	-
419	Regie provinciale autonome	Autonomous Provincial Enterprise	Government-Owned Entity	-
420	Association de CPAS	PCSW Association	Government-Owned Entity	-
421	Prezone	Pre-Zone	Government-Owned Entity	-
422	Zone de secours	Emergency Zone	Government-Owned Entity	-
616	Societe a responsabilite limitee de droit public	Public Law Private Limited Company	Government-Owned Entity	L05H
617	Societe en commandite de droit public	Public Law Limited Partnership	Government-Owned Entity	-

Codes 370–392 are historical ministry forms, replaced by Federal Public Services (301–303) following the 2002 Copernicus reform. They remain in the KBO to preserve historical records.

Foreign Entities & Branch Offices

Code	French Name	English Translation	Standardized	ISO 20275
023	Association etrangere privee avec etablissement en Belgique	Foreign Private Association with Establishment in Belgium	Branch or Representative Office	3LMA
030	Entite etrangere	Foreign Entity	Branch or Representative Office	3LMA
230	Entite etrangere avec un bien immobilier en Belgique	Foreign Entity with Real Estate in Belgium	Branch or Representative Office	3LMA
235	Entite etrangere sans etablissement belge avec representant responsable TVA	Foreign Entity without Belgian Establishment with VAT Representative	Branch or Representative Office	3LMA
453	Societe etrangere sans etablissement belge cotee en bourse	Foreign Listed Company without Belgian Establishment	Branch or Representative Office	3LMA
454	Entite etrangere avec un bien immobilier en Belgique (sans personnalite juridique)	Foreign Entity with Real Estate in Belgium (without Legal Personality)	Branch or Representative Office	3LMA

Economic Interest Groupings & Partnerships without Legal Personality

Code	French Name	English Translation	Standardized	ISO 20275
025	Societe agricole	Agricultural Company	Partnership	ZOK2
060	Groupement d’interet economique	Economic Interest Grouping	Partnership	J5OU
065	Groupement europeen d’interet economique	European Economic Interest Grouping	Partnership	7SJP
260	Groupement d’interet economique sans siege avec etablissement en Belgique	Economic Interest Grouping without Headquarters with Establishment in Belgium	Partnership	J5OU
265	Groupement europeen d’interet economique sans siege avec etablissement en Belgique	European Economic Interest Grouping without Headquarters with Establishment in Belgium	Partnership	7SJP
701	Societe commerciale irreguliere	Irregular Commercial Company	Other	CFH5
702	Societe de droit commun	Civil Law Partnership	Partnership	KM6O
703	Societe momentanee	Temporary Partnership	Partnership	CFH5
704	Societe interne	Internal Partnership	Partnership	CFH5
721	Societe ou association sans personnalite juridique	Company or Association without Legal Personality	Other	CFH5
722	Association momentanee	Temporary Association	Other	CFH5
723	Association de frais	Cost-Sharing Association	Other	CFH5

Other & Miscellaneous Forms

Code	French Name	English Translation	Standardized	ISO 20275
002	Organisme de financement de pensions	Pension Financing Institution	Other	-
003	Unite TVA	VAT Unit	Other	-
040	Societe congolaise (loi de 1927)	Congolese Company (1927 Law)	Other	-
051	Autre forme de droit privé avec personnalite juridique	Other Private Law Form with Legal Personality	Other	-
121	Association d’assurances mutuelles de droit public	Public Law Mutual Insurance Association	Government-Owned Entity	-
151	Autre forme legale	Other Legal Form	Other	-
200	Societe en formation	Company in Formation	Other	-
393	Divers	Miscellaneous	Other	-
451	Organismes immatricules pour l’O.N.P.	Organizations Registered with NPO	Government-Owned Entity	-
452	Organisme immatricule pour l’Administration des Pensions	Organization Registered with Pension Administration	Government-Owned Entity	-
790	Divers sans personnalite juridique	Miscellaneous without Legal Personality	Other	CFH5
999	Forme legale inconnue (ONSS)	Unknown Legal Form (NSSO)	Other	-

Legal Representatives

Legal representatives are extracted from the CBE Public Search portal. Role classification is deterministic — a formal lookup table maps each official CBE function code to its French name, English translation, and whether it constitutes a legal representative role. Both individuals and companies can hold legal representative roles. When a company is a legal representative, it is displayed with its enterprise number, and its permanent representative (the natural person acting on behalf of the company) is linked via the representedBy field.

Legal Representative Roles

Code	French Role	English Translation	Standardized
00001	Fondateur d’une entite enregistree personne physique	Founder registered entity natural person	Owner
00002	Mandataire general	General agent	Manager
00005	Representant permanent suppleant	Deputy permanent representative	Director
10002	Administrateur	Director	Director
10003	Representant permanent	Permanent representative	Director
10004	Personne deleguee a la gestion journaliere	Person in charge of daily management	Manager
10005	Membre du comite de direction	Member of the management committee	Director
10006	Gerant	Manager	Manager
10007	Administrateur delegue	Managing Director	CEO
10008	Syndic	Property manager	Manager
10010	President	Chairman	President
10013	Directeur general	Managing Director	CEO
10014	Directeur general adjoint	Deputy Managing Director	COO
10015	Vice-president	Vice President	Vice President
10017	Membre du conseil de direction	Member of the management committee	Director
10018	Representant personne morale	Legal person representative	Director
10023	Administrateur general	General administrator	CEO
10030	Liquidateur	Administrator	Other
10031	Representant legal	Legal representative	Director
10032	Representant (succursale)	Representative (branch)	Manager
10033	Secretaire (Region flamande)	Secretary (Flemish Region)	CEO
10041	Bourgmestre	Mayor	CEO
10042	Secretaire / Directeur general	Secretary / Managing director	CEO
90000	Sequestre (designation par tribunaux)	Receiver (designated by court)	Other
90001	Curateur (designation par tribunaux)	Curator (designated by court)	Other
90002	Administrateur provisoire (designation par tribunaux)	Deferment auditor (designated by court)	Other
90005	Mandataire de justice	Judicial trustee	Other

Other Key Persons

Other key persons include supervisory, audit, and advisory roles that do not carry statutory authority to bind the company.

Other Key Person Roles

Code	French Role	English Translation	Standardized
00003	Associe ou membre	Associate or member	Board Member
00004	Representant de l’unite TVA	VAT-grouping representative	Other
10001	Fondateur d’une entite sans personnalite juridique	Founder of a body without legal personality	Other
10011	Secretaire	Secretary	Secretary
10012	Tresorier	Treasurer	Other
10016	Membre du conseil de surveillance	Member of the supervisory board	Supervisory Board Member
10020	Commissaire	Statutory Auditor	Auditor
10021	Representant permanent du commissaire	Permanent representative of the auditor	Auditor
10022	Representant (non administrateur)	Representative (non-administrator)	Other
10045	Membre du college de zone	Member of area association	Board Member
10500	Personne de contact EDRL	EDRL contact person	Other
11000	Notaire suppleant	Supply solicitor	Other
12000	Huissier de justice faisant fonction	Acting bailiff	Other
90003	Commissaire au sursis (designation par tribunaux)	Deferment auditor (designated by court)	Auditor
90004	Conseil judiciaire (prodigues)	Judicial board (prodigals)	Advisory Board Member

Shareholders

Belgium has no structured shareholder registry. Shareholder data is reconstructed by AI from financial documents (annual accounts filed with NBB CBSO).

AI-extracted data: Shareholders are inferred by AI from PDF documents. The quality and completeness depends on document availability and readability. This is not structured registry data.

Field	Description	Source
`sharePercentage`	Ownership percentage	AI-extracted from financial documents
`type`	Individual or Company	AI-inferred from document context

Activity Code Mapping

Belgium uses the NACE-BEL classification, which is the Belgian extension of the European NACE Rev. 2 standard. BCE Open Data provides three versions of NACE codes (2003, 2008, 2025); the system automatically selects the most recent version available.

NACE-BEL (Belgian) --> NACE Rev. 2 (European) --> ISIC Rev. 4 (International)

Classification	Source	Example	AI Inferred?
NACE	BCE Open Data / CBE	`64.19`	No (official)
ISIC	Derived from NACE (formal mapping)	`6419`	No (formal mapping)

NACE-to-ISIC mapping uses a formal lookup table and is never AI-inferred for Belgium. NACE codes from BCE Open Data may lack descriptions (codes only); CBE provides both codes and English descriptions.

Activity Code Versions

NACE Version	Priority	Notes
NACE 2025	Highest	Newest version, preferred when available
NACE 2008	Medium	Most common in existing data
NACE 2003	Lowest	Legacy, only used when newer versions are absent

Within each version, activities are ordered by classification: MAIN (primary activity) first, then SECO (secondary), then ANCI (ancillary).

Data Availability

Data Availability Matrix

Data Type	BCE Open Data	CBE Public Search	Notes
Company name (multilingual)	Yes	Yes	BCE: FR > NL > DE > EN priority. CBE: EN > FR > NL
Company status	Yes	Yes	Binary: Active / Ceased
Legal form	Yes	Yes	Formal mapper with ISO 20275 codes
Registration date	Yes	Yes	Start date of the enterprise
NACE activity codes	Yes	Yes	BCE: codes only. CBE: codes + descriptions
Registered address	Yes	Yes	Available from both sources
Contact info (phone, website)	Yes	No	Only from BCE Open Data
Establishments	Yes	Yes	BCE: active only. CBE: active + inactive
Legal representatives	No	Yes	From CBE functions section
Other key persons	No	Yes	Auditors, supervisory board, etc.
Share capital	No	Yes	Amount and currency
Shareholders	No	No	AI-reconstructed from financial documents
Ultimate Beneficial Owners	No	No	From Belgian UBO Registry (separate source)

Documents by Company Type

Document Type	API Category	Format	SKU	Availability	Notes
Trade Register Extract	`tradeRegisterExtract`	PDF	`BEL_TRADE_REGISTER_EXTRACT`	All companies	CBE page converted to PDF (free)
UBO Extract	`ultimateBeneficialOwnersCertificate`	PDF	`BEL_UBO_FORM`	All companies	From Belgian UBO Registry
Financial Statements	`financialStatements[]`	PDF, XBRL, CSV	`BEL_FINANCIAL_STATEMENTS`	When filed	From NBB CBSO (free)
Official Publications	`articlesOfAssociation[]` / `otherDocuments[]`	PDF	`BEL_OTHER_DOCUMENTS`	When published	From eJustice / Moniteur Belge (free)

Financial statement formats: Statements filed electronically (XBRL/ZIP submission) are available in PDF, XBRL, and CSV formats. Statements originally filed on paper or microfilm are not downloadable.

Publication types from eJustice include: Articles of Association, Appointments, Resignations, Capital changes, Shares, Company Name changes, Registered Office changes, Corporate Purpose changes, General Assembly decisions, Legal Form changes, Restructuring, Formation, Dissolution, Annual Accounts, and more. Each publication is categorized by type and available as a free PDF download.

Example API Responses

All examples use placeholder data. Query: POST /company with { "id": "<id>", "countryCode": "BE", "dataPoints": ["companyProfile"] }

Active SA (Societe anonyme) -- with legal representatives

{
  "company": {
    "id": "0403.227.515",
    "countryCode": "BE",
    "identifiers": { "Numero BCE": "0403.227.515" },
    "legalName": "Banque Exemple",
    "commercialNames": ["Voorbeeld Bank", "Beispielbank"],
    "registrationDate": "1935-12-19",
    "incorporationDate": "1935-12-19",
    "status": { "localName": "Actif", "active": true, "statusDetails": { "status": "ACTIVE" } },
    "legalForm": { "localName": "Societe anonyme", "englishTranslation": "Public Limited Company", "standardized": "Corporation", "iso20275Code": "R85P" },
    "capital": { "amount": 24500000, "currency": "EUR", "formatted": "24.500.000 EUR" },
    "activities": {
      "NACE": [{ "code": "64.19", "description": "Other monetary intermediation", "isAIInferred": false }],
      "ISIC": [{ "code": "6419", "description": "Other monetary intermediation", "isAIInferred": false }]
    },
    "legalAddress": { "addressLine1": "Avenue du Port 2", "postalCode": "1080", "city": "Molenbeek-Saint-Jean", "countryCode": "BE" },
    "phones": ["+32 2 555 01 01"],
    "website": "https://www.exemple-banque.be"
  },
  "legalRepresentatives": [
    {
      "type": "individual",
      "role": { "localName": "Administrateur delegue", "englishTranslation": "Managing Director", "standardized": "CEO" },
      "individual": { "name": { "fullName": "Jan De Smedt", "firstName": "Jan", "lastName": "De Smedt" } },
      "startDate": "2020-06-15"
    },
    {
      "type": "company",
      "role": { "localName": "Administrateur", "englishTranslation": "Director", "standardized": "Director" },
      "company": { "id": "0874.162.515", "legalName": "Conseil SA", "countryCode": "BE" },
      "representedBy": { "name": { "fullName": "Marie Janssens", "firstName": "Marie", "lastName": "Janssens" } },
      "startDate": "2021-01-10"
    }
  ],
  "otherKeyPersons": [
    {
      "type": "company",
      "role": { "localName": "Commissaire", "englishTranslation": "Statutory Auditor", "standardized": "Auditor" },
      "company": { "id": "0446.334.711", "legalName": "Audit Partners SCRL", "countryCode": "BE" }
    }
  ],
  "establishments": [
    { "id": "2012345678", "name": "Banque Exemple - Bruxelles", "active": true, "creationDate": "1935-12-19", "address": { "addressLine1": "Avenue du Port 2", "postalCode": "1080", "city": "Molenbeek-Saint-Jean", "countryCode": "BE" } },
    { "id": "2087654321", "name": "Banque Exemple - Antwerpen", "active": true, "creationDate": "1990-03-01", "address": { "addressLine1": "Meir 48", "postalCode": "2000", "city": "Antwerpen", "countryCode": "BE" } }
  ]
}

Closed Company

{
  "company": {
    "id": "0414.138.629",
    "countryCode": "BE",
    "identifiers": { "Numero BCE": "0414.138.629" },
    "legalName": "Ancien Restaurant SPRL",
    "registrationDate": "1991-05-15",
    "incorporationDate": "1991-05-15",
    "status": { "localName": "Cesse", "active": false, "statusDetails": { "status": "CLOSED" } },
    "legalForm": { "localName": "Societe privee a responsabilite limitee", "englishTranslation": "Private Limited Liability Company", "standardized": "Limited Liability Company", "iso20275Code": "N5NT" },
    "activities": {
      "NACE": [{ "code": "56.10", "description": "Restaurants and mobile food service activities", "isAIInferred": false }],
      "ISIC": [{ "code": "5610", "description": "Restaurants and mobile food service activities", "isAIInferred": false }]
    },
    "legalAddress": { "addressLine1": "Rue de la Montagne 12", "postalCode": "1000", "city": "Bruxelles", "countryCode": "BE" }
  },
  "legalRepresentatives": [
    {
      "type": "individual",
      "role": { "localName": "Gerant", "englishTranslation": "Manager", "standardized": "Manager" },
      "individual": { "name": { "fullName": "Pierre Vandenberghe", "firstName": "Pierre", "lastName": "Vandenberghe" } }
    }
  ]
}

Note: Closed companies have active: false and status Cesse. When the company no longer exists in BCE Open Data, all data comes from CBE Public Search in full mode.

Sole Proprietor (Entreprise individuelle)

{
  "company": {
    "id": "0715.648.281",
    "countryCode": "BE",
    "identifiers": { "Numero BCE": "0715.648.281" },
    "legalName": "Dupont, Marc",
    "registrationDate": "2018-04-01",
    "incorporationDate": "2018-04-01",
    "status": { "localName": "Actif", "active": true, "statusDetails": { "status": "ACTIVE" } },
    "activities": {
      "NACE": [{ "code": "90.02", "isAIInferred": false }],
      "ISIC": [{ "code": "9002", "description": "Support activities to performing arts", "isAIInferred": false }]
    },
    "legalAddress": { "addressLine1": "Steenweg 45", "postalCode": "3000", "city": "Leuven", "countryCode": "BE" }
  },
  "legalRepresentatives": [
    {
      "type": "individual",
      "role": { "localName": "Fondateur d'une entite enregistree personne physique", "englishTranslation": "Founder registered entity natural person", "standardized": "Owner" },
      "individual": { "name": { "fullName": "Dupont, Marc", "firstName": "Marc", "lastName": "Dupont" } }
    }
  ],
  "establishments": [
    { "id": "2282534813", "name": "Dupont, Marc", "active": true, "creationDate": "2018-04-01", "address": { "addressLine1": "Steenweg 45", "postalCode": "3000", "city": "Leuven", "countryCode": "BE" } }
  ]
}

Note: Sole proprietors have no legal form code in BCE. The legalName is the individual’s name. The founder role (00001) is mapped as the legal representative.

Non-Profit Association (ASBL)

{
  "company": {
    "id": "0456.123.789",
    "countryCode": "BE",
    "identifiers": { "Numero BCE": "0456.123.789" },
    "legalName": "Association Sportive de Bruxelles",
    "commercialNames": ["Brusselse Sportvereniging"],
    "registrationDate": "2010-09-15",
    "incorporationDate": "2010-09-15",
    "status": { "localName": "Actif", "active": true, "statusDetails": { "status": "ACTIVE" } },
    "legalForm": { "localName": "Association sans but lucratif", "englishTranslation": "Non-Profit Association", "standardized": "Nonprofit Organization", "iso20275Code": "W3WH" },
    "activities": {
      "NACE": [{ "code": "93.12", "isAIInferred": false }],
      "ISIC": [{ "code": "9312", "description": "Activities of sports clubs", "isAIInferred": false }]
    },
    "legalAddress": { "addressLine1": "Rue du Sport 8", "postalCode": "1050", "city": "Ixelles", "countryCode": "BE" }
  },
  "legalRepresentatives": [
    {
      "type": "individual",
      "role": { "localName": "President", "englishTranslation": "Chairman", "standardized": "President" },
      "individual": { "name": { "fullName": "Sophie Peeters", "firstName": "Sophie", "lastName": "Peeters" } }
    },
    {
      "type": "individual",
      "role": { "localName": "Administrateur", "englishTranslation": "Director", "standardized": "Director" },
      "individual": { "name": { "fullName": "Luc Van Damme", "firstName": "Luc", "lastName": "Van Damme" } }
    }
  ],
  "otherKeyPersons": [
    {
      "type": "individual",
      "role": { "localName": "Secretaire", "standardized": "Secretary" },
      "individual": { "name": { "fullName": "Emma Claes", "firstName": "Emma", "lastName": "Claes" } }
    },
    {
      "type": "individual",
      "role": { "localName": "Tresorier", "standardized": "Other" },
      "individual": { "name": { "fullName": "Thomas Willems", "firstName": "Thomas", "lastName": "Willems" } }
    }
  ]
}

UBO Response (dedicated datapoint)

Query with "dataPoints": ["ultimateBeneficialOwners"]:

{
  "ultimateBeneficialOwners": [
    {
      "entityId": "be-ubo-12345",
      "name": { "fullName": "Jan De Smedt", "firstName": "Jan", "lastName": "De Smedt" },
      "birthDate": { "day": 15, "month": 3, "year": 1975 },
      "nationality": "BE",
      "residenceAddress": { "addressLine1": "Koningsstraat 100", "postalCode": "1000", "city": "Brussel", "countryCode": "BE" },
      "control": {
        "types": ["OWNERSHIP_OF_SHARES", "VOTING_RIGHTS"],
        "details": [
          { "type": "SHARES", "percentageValue": 60, "nature": "unknown" },
          { "type": "VOTING_RIGHTS", "percentageValue": 60, "nature": "unknown" }
        ],
        "startDate": "2020-01-15"
      }
    },
    {
      "entityId": "be-ubo-67890",
      "name": { "fullName": "Marie Janssens", "firstName": "Marie", "lastName": "Janssens" },
      "birthDate": { "day": 22, "month": 8, "year": 1982 },
      "nationality": "BE",
      "residenceAddress": { "addressLine1": "Avenue Louise 200", "postalCode": "1050", "city": "Ixelles", "countryCode": "BE" },
      "control": {
        "types": ["OWNERSHIP_OF_SHARES", "VOTING_RIGHTS"],
        "details": [
          { "type": "SHARES", "percentageValue": 40, "nature": "unknown" },
          { "type": "VOTING_RIGHTS", "percentageValue": 40, "nature": "unknown" }
        ],
        "startDate": "2020-01-15"
      }
    }
  ]
}

Note: UBO data comes from the Belgian UBO Registry. The nature field is always "unknown" because the Belgian registry does not specify whether ownership is direct or indirect. Birth dates are in DD/MM/YYYY format from the API, parsed into structured components.

Available Documents (example list)

Documents are returned when "dataPoints": ["documents"] is requested.

API Category	Document	Source	Notes
`tradeRegisterExtract`	CBE page as PDF	CBE Public Search	Always available, free
`ultimateBeneficialOwnersCertificate`	UBO extract PDF	Belgian UBO Registry	Always listed
`financialStatements[]`	Annual accounts	NBB CBSO	Multiple years, up to 3 formats per filing
`articlesOfAssociation[]`	Statutes from Moniteur Belge	eJustice	When published
`otherDocuments[]`	Other publications	eJustice	Appointments, capital changes, etc.

Western Europe

Northern Europe

Southern Europe

Central & Eastern Europe

Crown Dependencies & Offshore

Asia & Indian Ocean

Table of Contents

Data Sources

All entity types

Documents

Company Identifiers

Query Identifiers

Identifiers in API Response

Search Capabilities

Quirks & Gotchas

Mappings

Company Status

Juridical Situation Codes

Registration & Incorporation Dates

VAT Verification

Establishments

Legal Forms

Legal Representatives

Other Key Persons

Shareholders

Activity Code Mapping

Activity Code Versions

Data Availability

Data Availability Matrix

Documents by Company Type

Example API Responses

Western Europe

Northern Europe

Southern Europe

Central & Eastern Europe

Crown Dependencies & Offshore

Asia & Indian Ocean

​Table of Contents

​Data Sources

​All entity types

​Documents

​Company Identifiers

​Query Identifiers

​Identifiers in API Response

​Search Capabilities

​Quirks & Gotchas

​Mappings

​Company Status

​Juridical Situation Codes

​Registration & Incorporation Dates

​VAT Verification

​Establishments

​Legal Forms

​Legal Representatives

​Other Key Persons

​Shareholders

​Activity Code Mapping

​Activity Code Versions

​Data Availability

​Data Availability Matrix

​Documents by Company Type

​Example API Responses

Table of Contents

Data Sources

All entity types

Documents

Company Identifiers

Query Identifiers

Identifiers in API Response

Search Capabilities

Quirks & Gotchas

Mappings

Company Status

Juridical Situation Codes

Registration & Incorporation Dates

VAT Verification

Establishments

Legal Forms

Legal Representatives

Other Key Persons

Shareholders

Activity Code Mapping

Activity Code Versions

Data Availability

Data Availability Matrix

Documents by Company Type

Example API Responses