More than a million self-employed in Belgium

In 2013, the number of self-employed people in Belgium reached a record high of more than 1 million. Economists point to the increasing number of women who choose for part-time self-employment, reports De Tijd, according to the annual report of the National Institute of Social Security for the Self-Employed (RSVZ/INASTI).

At the end of 2013, Belgium counted 1,001,101 self-employed workers, 12,500 more than in 2012. The figure is in part due to a sharp rise in the number of women who choose for self-employment as a side job, about 4,000 more than the previous year for a total of 85,672 part-time independents.

There are currently about 659,548 men and 341,553 women who carry out a self-employed activity in Belgium, either full- or part-time.