Yes, Belgian law requires certain information to be displayed on the website of every business, including that of a freelancer operating as a natural person. This covers your identity, your address, your means of contact and your company number. This information must be easy to find, directly accessible and permanently available.
Here is the full list, what is added if you sell online, and where to place it all.
What information must you display on your website?
The FPS Economy lists the following for a business website or social media page:
- Your business name: the name of your business or, failing that, your surname.
- Your address: that of your business premises.
- Your means of contact: a way to reach you directly, including an e-mail address.
- Your company number: the 10 digits assigned by the Crossroads Bank for Enterprises.
- Your VAT number, if your activity is subject to VAT, in the form "BE" followed by the company number.
- The supervisory authority, if your activity requires an authorisation: its contact details must be shown.
- Your professional title, if your profession is regulated: state the association or title, and refer to the professional rules that apply.
- A code of conduct, if you have signed one: indicate it and say where it can be consulted.
According to the same source, these obligations also apply to liberal professions.
If you are a company or a non-profit association, DNS Belgium adds that you must also state the legal form, the registered office and the mention of the legal persons register with the court of the arrondissement of the registered office.
Is a phone number required?
That depends on what your website does. According to the FPS Economy, a phone number must be added to the e-mail address as soon as your website allows you to conclude a distance contract with consumers, for example a sale or a paid booking.
An online contact form may sometimes be sufficient as a means of contact, but only under certain conditions that the FPS does not detail in this text. The safest approach is therefore to keep, alongside the form, a visible e-mail address and, if possible, a phone number.
What changes when you sell online?
Quite a lot. According to the FPS Economy, online sales require considerably more information, including the total price, the main characteristics or conditions of the product or service, and the payment and delivery methods. If you plan to take online payments on your website, add this to your preparation before going live, and review the FPS's official guidelines on online commerce.
Where should this information be placed?
In the footer of your website. It appears on every page, so the information is accessible everywhere. DNS Belgium indicates that you can include the essentials there and link the rest to a "Legal notice" page or to your terms and conditions.
A simple way to do this:
- in the footer: name, address, e-mail, phone, company number, VAT number;
- on a "Legal notice" page: regulated profession, supervisory authority, code of conduct, and anything less useful to the visitor;
- links to the "Legal notice", "Privacy" and "Cookies" pages are visible from every page.
At Sekalis, contact, quote, appointment or booking forms are placed on your website according to your trade. They complement your contact details, but they do not replace the list above.
What do you need to plan for cookies?
A cookie is a small file that your website stores on the visitor's device. According to the Data Protection Authority, any cookie that is not strictly necessary requires the visitor's consent. Strictly necessary cookies, such as the one that remembers the chosen language or the contents of a shopping basket, are exempt. Audience measurement cookies are generally not considered strictly necessary.
Consent must be prior, free, specific, informed, active and unambiguous, and the visitor must be able to withdraw it. No non-essential cookie may be stored or read before the visitor agrees.
According to the same page, consent is not valid in the following cases:
- a pre-ticked box;
- simply continuing to browse the site;
- accepting terms of use;
- browser settings;
- blocking the site for anyone who refuses non-essential cookies.
If your website only uses strictly necessary cookies, you do not need to request consent. Check what your website actually stores before deciding.
What should your privacy statement say?
As soon as your website collects personal data, for example through a contact form, you must inform the people concerned. The Data Protection Authority specifies that this information must be provided at the time of collection. It includes in particular:
- why you use this data and on what legal basis;
- your identity and contact details;
- the recipients of the data, if any;
- the retention period, or the criteria that determine it;
- the person's rights: access, rectification, erasure, restriction, objection and portability;
- the right to lodge a complaint with the supervisory authority;
- the right to withdraw consent, if that is the basis for your processing.
The authority recommends presenting these elements in layers: a short summary first, then the details. This avoids overwhelming the reader while remaining complete.
What should you do now?
- Gather your details: business name, address, e-mail, phone, company number, VAT number. You will find them in your registration with the Crossroads Bank for Enterprises.
- Check whether your profession is regulated or whether your activity requires an authorisation. If so, note the title, the body and its contact details.
- Place the essentials in the footer and the rest on a "Legal notice" page.
- List what your website collects (forms) and stores (cookies), then write your privacy statement accordingly.
- If you sell online, add the total price, conditions, payment and delivery.
For a specific point in your situation, contact the FPS Economy (info.eco@economie.fgov.be, 0800 120 33) or a lawyer. This article does not replace legal advice.
To better understand what a freelancer's website must contain, read our freelancer website guide. When you are ready to take action, you can start by creating your homepage.