TaxationToday more than ever, enterprises working both locally and internationally require expert tax advice. With tax rules becoming evermore complex, it is important enterprises incorporate tax planning and advice in their strategic decision-making process to identify the most effective tax structure and to avoid unnecessary liabilities being incurred. With a broad range of experience nationally and internationally, Van Bael & Bellis is ideally positioned to offer tax advice in areas such as corporate tax, international tax, individual tax, value-added tax, capital duties, environmental taxes, and tax litigation. Our approach is to provide practical, innovative and proactive tax advice to a diverse client base. Our tax practice is closely linked to our clients’ complex and often international transactions and corporate structures, including mergers, (partial) de-mergers, spin-offs, joint ventures, securities offerings, and intricate stock and asset acquisitions and disposals, and related financings. Members of our tax practice typically join a deal team at the outset of a transaction, as early direction on tax issues is often critical for optimal design and implementation of the underlying transaction. Another dimension of our tax practice is advisory work, mostly in the corporate tax area and frequently within a cross-border context. Assignments have included the design and implementation of a transfer pricing methodology for a multinational pharmaceutical group of companies. Following closely the tax developments at the EU level (including the case-law of the European Court of Justice), our tax practice is ideally suited to advice in this area as well. Finally, our tax practice is regularly engaged in complex tax litigation at the various jurisdictional instances and levels in Belgium. Van Bael & Bellis’ tax professionals offer, inter alia, the following specialised services: Corporate Tax Within the area of corporate tax, we advise on issues relating to national and international mergers and acquisitions, de-mergers and divestitures, reorganisations and restructurings, corporate loss utilisation strategies, structured financing transactions, derivative products, taxation of e-commerce, employee compensation arrangements, partnerships, joint ventures and trusts and tax reporting. International Tax We advise our clients on matters such as transfer pricing, structuring inbound and outbound investments, cross-border joint venturing, cross-border licensing, financing, holding and insurance structures, branch structures, agency and commissionaire arrangements, withholding tax and tax treaties. Individual Tax Individual taxation advice is also a part of the service we offer to our clients. For someone not familiar with taxation this arena can be quite daunting. We aim to clearly explain the advantages and disadvantages of each approach we present to our clients, thus equipping them with the knowledge to confidently make informed decisions on matters such as salary split schemes, compensation of the owner-manager, tax deferred retirement plans, taxation of professionals, expatriate tax services, and emigration from and immigration to Belgium. Value-added Tax Our services in the area of value-added tax span advising on value-added tax consequences of supplies of goods or services, to reporting and formalities. We guide our clients though the various stages and steps, assisting them to successfully negotiate the VAT planning and execution process. Tax Litigation To assist our clients in tax litigation, our tax lawyers work closely with experts from Van Bael & Bellis' litigation practice. With their combined knowledge and expertise our teams draft responses to notices of amendment, initiate tax claims and appeals against tax assessments. Van Bael & Bellis has handled tax cases before the various jurisdictions (Arbitration Court, Council of State, Supreme Court, tax courts and local authorities). |
