The BCE/KBO: how to find and check a Belgian company
The Crossroads Bank for Enterprises is the official register of every enterprise in Belgium. It is the first stop to check a customer or a supplier, as long as you know what it does and does not tell you.
One register, four names
The Crossroads Bank for Enterprises is called Banque-Carrefour des Entreprises (BCE) in French, Kruispuntbank van Ondernemingen (KBO) in Dutch and Zentrale Datenbank der Unternehmen (ZDU) in German. It is managed by the FPS Economy.
Every enterprise active in Belgium is registered there: companies and associations, natural persons trading in their own name, and foreign companies with a Belgian establishment.
What the register records
- The enterprise number and the names: legal name, abbreviation, trade names.
- The legal form and the legal situation: active, in judicial reorganisation, bankrupt, in liquidation or closed.
- The start date and the registered office.
- The establishment units, each with its own number and address.
- The activities, as NACE-BEL codes.
- Whether the enterprise is subject to VAT, and the functions registered, such as directors.
How to search it
The BCE Public Search, on the FPS Economy website, is free and needs no account. You can search by enterprise number, by name or by address, one enterprise at a time.
For reuse at scale, the BCE publishes its data as open data files, updated daily, after a free registration.
What the register does not show
- The annual accounts: they are filed with the National Bank of Belgium.
- The published acts, such as appointments or a change of articles: they appear in the annexes of the Belgian Official Gazette.
- The history: the register shows the current state, not what changed or when.
- An opinion: it tells you that a company exists, not whether it is healthy.
The register in Addrly
Addrly updates its copy of the BCE every morning and adds what the register leaves out: the filed accounts from the National Bank, the acts of the Official Gazette read into dated events, an explained health score and alerts when a company you follow changes.
Key takeaways
- BCE, KBO and ZDU are the same register, in French, Dutch and German.
- It records identity, status, office, establishments, activities and VAT status.
- Accounts are at the National Bank and acts at the Official Gazette, not in the BCE.
Frequently asked questions
Is the BCE free to consult?
Yes. The Public Search on the FPS Economy website is free and needs no account.
What is the difference between the BCE and the KBO?
None. They are the French and Dutch names of the same register, the Crossroads Bank for Enterprises.
Does the BCE show a company's annual accounts?
No. Annual accounts are filed with and published by the National Bank of Belgium.