BRUSSELS – The number of people working for themselves in Belgium has increased by over 60,000 in the past two years, according to a new survey released on Tuesday.

The study by Belgium’s national institute of social security insurance for self-employed workers (Inasti) found 61,398 people were registered as self-employed between the beginning of 2002 and the end of 2003. 

The increase brings the total number of officially registered self-employed workers in Belgium to 856,655.

The farming and fishing sectors have seen particularly large increases in the number of self-employed workers in recent years, the survey found.

Farming has seen a 12.7 percent rise while the Belgian fishing industry has seen the number go up by a hefty 68 percent.

Industry and the service sector have also seen significant increases.

Belgian employers like hiring self-employed staff because it allows them to avoid making hefty social security payments.

This has led to a significant increase in the number of people working for themselves in the country.

A significant chunk of Belgium’s expat population is also self-employed.

The Belgian government recently announced a new package of measures designed to improve the lot of people who work for themselves.

[Copyright Expatica 2004]

Subject: Belgian news