Tax shelter

The Belgian Tax Shelter is a government-approved tax incentive designed to encourage the production of audiovisual works in Belgium. The system is open to Belgian productions as well as international co-productions with Belgium that meet certain criteria.

All three parties benefit from this arrangement: the producer is offered a very attractive way to finance projects; the investor obtains tax exemption through a virtually risk-free investment; and the Belgian state gains from increased economic activity and spend.

How does it work?

Based upon the amount of qualifying audiovisual costs the production will spend in the European Economic Area(link is external), and upon the amount of direct and indirect Belgian-eligible expenses, the Federal Public Service Finance can provide Tax Shelter certificates to local investors. The investor must make its full payment within three months of signing the framework agreement. Through the system, the investor pre-finances the production and/or post-production costs in return for tax benefits and a possible fixed return on investment.

What’s the advantage for the producer?

The Tax Shelter can provide additional funding up to 25-30% of the total qualifying expenses in the EEA. It allows the finance of up to 40-45% of the Belgian-eligible expenses.

Which works qualify for the Tax Shelter?

European audiovisual works such as:

A fiction, a documentary, or an animation feature film intended for cinema
a short-length film, except for advertising films
a TV fiction feature film, if need be a television serial
a TV fiction feature or animated film
a TV series intended for children and youth, that is to say fiction feature series with an educational, cultural and news content for a target group of children and teenagers from 0 to 16 years
a documentary TV film
a web series or a documentary web
firms and documentaries made in virtual reality, intended for cinematographic exploitation in cinemas which are recognised by the competent services of the community concerned as being European works within the meaning of the Audiovisual Media Services Directive of 10 March 2010 (2010/13/EU)

International productions such as a fiction film, documentary or animated film intended for cinema that is within the scope of a bilateral agreement as regards the co-production concluded by Belgium (or one of its Communities) with another State.

The best and easiest way to gain access is to first find a local producer to make a co-production. More information is available in the brochure “Belgian Tax Shelter - 2020".

Contact

Federal Public Service Finance - International Investments Department
Michela Ritondo
North Galaxy
Boulevard du Roi Albert II, 33 – box 22
BE - 1030 Brussels

Phone: +32 (0)257 938 69
Email: