The Flemish government has decided that, as from 1 September 2018, you no longer need a 'Basic knowledge of business management' certificate.There are three reasons why the certificate has been abolished:

• The previous system no longer provided a valuable distinction as a certificate was given to anyone with a higher education diploma
• The focus was mainly on theoretical rather than practical knowledge
• The certificate was only applicable in Belgium  
  

Can anyone start a business now?
New businesses no longer have to present a certificate. However, the financial plan is more important as a result, which means that projected balance sheets and profit-and-loss accounts must now be provided. This currently applies only to private limited liability companies, but it is likely that this will eventually also be necessary for other types of companies and sole traders.