Get support from an expert when selling or taking over a business - "transfer" voucher

Profile

• You are a project developer, i.e. a person who has not yet started a business registered with the Crossroads Bank for Enterprises (CBE), or a self-employed person as the secondary occupation.
• You are a company (natural or legal person) carrying out an economic activity registered with the Crossroads Bank for Enterprises (CBE). You have SME status. Non-profit associations are not eligible for business vouchers.

Time frame

In the case of a takeover, you can obtain support for 3 years following the signing of the sale agreement.

Activity

Your activity is not in a sector excluded pursuant to the De minimis regulation (fishing, aquaculture, the primary production of agricultural products).

Scenarios

There are 4 situations where the "transfer" voucher can be used:

• A project developer taking over an SME in Wallonia;
• A Walloon company that takes over another company, regardless of where it is based;
• A Walloon buyer who is looking for advice in the post-takeover phase, i.e. 3 years after signing the sale agreement;
• A business owner selling his Walloon company.

To judge the "Walloon" criterion, we take into account the company's place of business. 

Wallonia covers 75% of the costs (excl. VAT) of the expert's services. The costs not covered by the voucher (travel expenses, production costs, etc.) and VAT are your responsibility.

For example, if you receive support from an expert and the invoice is €1,000 excluding VAT:

• Wallonia will cover €750 of the invoice
• You have to pay €460: the remaining €250 (your share) and the VAT (€210).

Ceilings fix the total amounts to which you are entitled (see Conditions). 

Registration on the platform

Create a "citizen" account on the business vouchers platform, or validate the account created by your service provider. Registration/activation is via strong authentication only.

Submitting the application

• Is this your first application? If so, ask your service provider to submit it for you on the platform.
• Is it not your first application? You can submit the voucher application yourself, but your service provider can also submit it for you.

All applications are submitted via the business vouchers platform. It will be processed electronically.

You need two documents to submit your application:

• The service agreement between you and your service provider
• The application for a business voucher

These two documents are automatically generated by the platform. You need to sign them and enclose them with your application.

If you are a project developer, you need to enclose a certificate from the NISSE (see supporting documents). If you are a company, you will need to complete and sign the SME test and the declaration on de minimis aid (see supporting documents).

Examination of the application

We have 5 working days to check that your application is complete and in compliance with current regulations. If this is not the case, we will ask you for further information.

Payment of your share

Once your application has been approved, you will be requested to pay the 25% of the service which falls to you (your share). This sum will remain in our account until the application is completed. If the service was successful, it will be paid to your service provider at the end of the assignment, and we will cover 75%.

Service

The service can start once payment of your share has been received. You and your service provider will receive an e-mail informing you of this. The assignment must be performed within 9 months of notification of approval.

Completion of the application and payment for the service

• At the end of the assignment, the service provider adds their invoice and a report of the services to the application.

• You have 15 days to validate the invoice and the report. After this period, the documents are automatically validated and the application is sent to us.
• We have 15 working days to verify it.
• If the application is approved, we pay the full invoice, i.e. your share plus the contribution of the Walloon government.
• You pay VAT and any non-eligible costs directly to the service provider.

Inspection

Your application may subsequently be inspected via sampling.

Certificate from Wallonie Entreprendre

To submit an application for a "transfer" voucher, you need to have a certificate issued by Wallonie Entreprendre (link: Sale & takeover of businesses - Wallonie Entreprendre (wallonie-entreprendre.be)). So please contact Wallonie Entreprendre before submitting your application with us. If you haven't found an expert, Wallonie Entreprendre will suggest a list of approved service providers who meet your needs.

Services

The expert you work with must be a certified service provider proposed by Wallonie Entreprendre, i.e. a company or individual who has been authorised to provide services for this scheme. We check both the economic viability and the areas of expertise of our service providers. Find the list of certified service providers on the Business Vouchers (Chèques-entreprises) portal

You can use the "transfer" voucher for 3 sections: diagnosis, support and post-takeover. Please note that the services authorised in this voucher are limited to advice.

The "diagnosis" section includes advice on:

• An analysis of the situation;
• Strategic recommendations, an action plan;
• Valuation of the company;
• The legal aspect;
• Various audits.

The "support" section includes advice on:

• the valuation of the company;
• the search for counterparties;
• drafting sale agreements;
• the legal aspect, excluding tax advice;
• financial, social and environmental audits.

The "post-takeover" section includes strategic support and legal advice for the buyer for a period of 3 years following the signing of the sale agreement.

Ceilings

You must not have reached the ceiling of the voucher

The "transfer" voucher has a double ceiling: for the scheme as a whole and for the voucher itself. 

1. For business vouchers as a whole, the ceiling depends on your profile:
   • For the project developer, the ceiling is €37,500 over 3 years.
   • For the company, it is €100,000 per calendar year.
2. For the "transfer'' voucher, the ceiling is €15,000 per beneficiary over 3 years.

Time frames

The service must be carried out within 9 months of receiving the voucher.