The Brussels government has just launched the Proxi loan on a proposal by Barbara Trachte, Secretary of State for the Brussels-Capital Region, Responsible for Economic Transition, in close cooperation with Sven Gatz, the Minister for Finance and the Budget. The loan is intended to mobilise private savings to finance Brussels-based SMEs and thereby provide a short-term boost to their equity. In practice, the Proxi loan will enable private individuals to lend money to Brussels-based entrepreneurs. In exchange they will receive a tax credit and a guarantee.
Why not borrow from friends or family to establish or grow your business? It's easy thanks to the “Proxi loan”!
The Proxi loan uses the savings of private individuals, often referred to as “Family, Friends and Fools”, to fund the businesses of the self-employed and SMEs in Brussels.
Individual lenders are entitled to a tax break in the form of an annual tax credit when they provide this type of loan. If applicable, they may also receive a one-off tax credit under certain conditions, for example if the business they funded goes bankrupt.
In addition, due to the health crisis, the Brussels Region has implemented special incentives for the loan to further strengthen support for Brussels companies in 2020 and 2021. Registration of the Proxi loans and management of the loan Register has been entrusted to the Fonds Bruxellois de Garantie and finance&invest.brussels provides operational management.
LOAN CHARACTERISTICS
DURATION
5 or 8 years.
INTEREST RATE
Minimum 0.875% and maximum 1.75% (legal rate in effect for financial year 2020).
PURPOSE?
The funds must be exclusively allocated to the company’s business.
REPAYMENT
The loan can be repaid in one payment after five or eight years or on a monthly, quarterly, six-month or annual schedule. Option: a single early repayment of the outstanding principal and interest balance can be scheduled.
SUBORDINATED LOAN
The loan is subordinated to both the current and future debts of the company.
GRANTING CONDITIONS
A) BORROWER
Who?
- The company must be an SME. The borrower must either be a legal entity or a self-employed person (part-time or full-time) or a non-profit with a business activity (see the definition of the ASBL in the laws below).
- It must be registered as a company with the Crossroads Bank for Enterprises (CBE).
- It must have at least one place of business in the Brussels-Capital Region (19 municipalities).
- It must collect the withholding tax on the Proxi loan interest due.
Amount?
- Borrowers can ask for up to €300,000 until 31/12/2021 (all Proxi loans combined). After this date, the maximum amount will be €250,000.
B) LENDER
Who?
- Lenders must be a natural person residing in the Brussels-Capital Region (19 municipalities) or located there for personal income tax reasons.
- The loan must be separate from their business and professional activities.
- They cannot be the manager, director or shareholder or hold any similar position in the borrowing SME (legal entity).
- The spouse or domestic partner of the lender cannot be a shareholder or be appointed or act as a director or manager or hold a similar position in the borrowing SME (legal entity).
- They cannot be the spouse or domestic partner of the borrower (natural person).
- They cannot be employed by the SME.
- They cannot have another Proxi loan.
Amount?
- They can provide up to €75,000/year, all current Proxi loans combined. This amount will be reduced to €50,000/year starting on 1 January 2022.
- They can grant up to €200,000 maximum, all current Proxi loans combined.
Benefits?
- They will receive an annual tax reduction of 4% for the first three years, then of 2.5% for the remaining years (see a sample calculation of the tax benefit in the FAQ).
- Under certain conditions (see the FAQ), they can receive a single tax credit of 30% on the principal lost in the event of bankruptcy, for example.
PROCEDURE
- Proxi loan online application
- Send the Proxi loan and the amortisation schedule to the Fonds Bruxellois de Garantie
- Registration of the Proxi loan
- The lender must fill in their tax return (IPP) to receive the annual tax credit.
The form and all important information is available at: https://www.finance.brussels/proxi/
More information: Brussels-Capital Region Proxi loan implementation order of 1 October 2020