NACE Codes and Belgian Grants - What You Need to Know

NACE codes are the standardised classification system used across the European Union to categorise business activities. The acronym stands for Nomenclature statistique des Activités économiques dans la Communauté Européenne. In Belgium, every registered company is assigned at least one NACE code through the Crossroads Bank for Enterprises (Kruispuntbank van Ondernemingen / Banque-Carrefour des Entreprises), commonly known as the KBO/BCE.

Each NACE code is a numerical identifier that describes what your company does. For example, 62.010 covers computer programming activities, 56.101 covers restaurants with table service, and 71.121 covers engineering consultancy. Your primary NACE code reflects your main business activity, but companies can have multiple secondary codes if they operate across several sectors.

While NACE codes may seem like a dry administrative detail, they play a surprisingly important role in determining which Belgian grants your company can access. Many funding programs use NACE codes as a first-pass filter to determine sector eligibility before they even look at the substance of your application.

Belgian grant programs at the regional, federal, and European level frequently use NACE codes as eligibility criteria. The logic is straightforward: public funding is often targeted at specific economic sectors - manufacturing, technology, sustainability, healthcare - and NACE codes provide a standardised way to verify that an applicant operates in a qualifying sector.

In practice, this means that two companies with identical projects could receive different eligibility decisions purely because of their NACE codes. A software consultancy (NACE 62.020) applying for a digitalisation grant would likely qualify, while a financial holding company (NACE 64.200) with an identical digitalisation project might be excluded - even though the project itself is the same.

This is why understanding your NACE code is not optional when pursuing Belgian grants. It is one of the first things any grant advisor or the grant eligibility checker will look at. Getting it wrong - or leaving an outdated code in place - can silently disqualify you before your application is ever reviewed on its merits.

Each grant program defines its own list of eligible or excluded NACE codes, so there is no single universal answer. However, some general patterns hold across most Belgian funding instruments.

VLAIO grants in Flanders - including the popular KMO-portefeuille and Groeisubsidie - typically exclude NACE codes related to agriculture (01.xxx), fishing (03.xxx), financial services (64.xxx-66.xxx), public administration (84.xxx), and certain liberal professions. Manufacturing (10.xxx-33.xxx), ICT (58.xxx-63.xxx), and professional services (69.xxx-74.xxx) are generally well-covered.

Innoviris in Brussels tends to have broader sector eligibility for its R&D and innovation grants, but still excludes certain primary sectors. SPW Economy in Wallonia maintains its own exclusion lists, particularly for its chèques entreprises and aides à l'investissement programs. At the EU level, Horizon Europe and EIC programs are generally sector-agnostic, focusing on innovation merit rather than NACE codes.

The safest approach is to check the specific program guidelines before investing time in an application. BelGrant's Ask Lucas assistant can cross-reference your NACE code against available programs instantly.

Discovering that your NACE code excludes you from a grant you were targeting is frustrating, but it is not necessarily the end of the road. There are several strategies to consider.

First, check whether the program considers secondary NACE codes. If your company performs multiple activities and one of your secondary codes falls within the eligible range, you may still qualify - provided the grant-funded project relates to that secondary activity. Some programs explicitly state which NACE position (primary or any registered code) they evaluate.

Second, verify that your registered NACE code actually reflects your current business activities. Many Belgian companies were registered years ago with a NACE code that no longer accurately describes what they do. If your business has evolved, updating your NACE code is both legitimate and advisable - not just for grant purposes, but for accurate business classification generally.

Third, explore alternative programs. Belgian grants are numerous and varied. If one program excludes your sector, another may welcome it. The grants database lets you filter by sector and region to find programs that match your actual business profile.

Checking your company's NACE code is straightforward. The official source is the Public Search of the Crossroads Bank for Enterprises, accessible online at the KBO/BCE website. Enter your company number (ondernemingsnummer / numéro d'entreprise) and your registered NACE codes will appear under the activities section.

You can also find your NACE code on your company's registration documents from the enterprise counter that handled your incorporation, or by asking your accountant. If you have a Belgian enterprise number in the format 0XXX.XXX.XXX, the KBO/BCE lookup takes seconds.

When checking, pay attention to the version of the NACE classification. Belgium currently uses NACE-BEL 2008, which is based on NACE Rev. 2. Some older registrations may reference earlier versions. Grant programs typically specify which NACE revision they use for eligibility screening, so make sure you are comparing like with like.

Yes, you can change your NACE code. The process goes through a recognised enterprise counter (ondernemingsloket / guichet d'entreprises) in Belgium. You can add secondary NACE codes, remove obsolete ones, or change your primary code if your main business activity has genuinely shifted.

However, changing your NACE code purely to qualify for a grant is both risky and potentially counterproductive. Grant agencies are aware of this tactic. If your registered NACE code does not align with your actual business activities, annual accounts, or VAT declarations, it can trigger scrutiny during the grant evaluation or, worse, clawback of funds after approval.

The right approach is to ensure your NACE codes accurately reflect your real business activities. If your company has legitimately diversified into a new sector - say, a construction firm that now also develops proptech software - then adding the relevant NACE code is entirely appropriate. The key is accuracy and consistency: your NACE codes, company description, VAT filings, and grant application should all tell the same coherent story.

If you are unsure whether updating your NACE code is appropriate for your situation, Ask Lucas can help you think through the implications before you make any changes.