Professional card refused - appeal procedure
Have you been refused a professional card by the Government of Flanders? If so, you can submit a written appeal against that decision. You must do this within 30 days of having been informed of the refusal.
Was the renewal of your professional card refused? In that case, you may no longer work as a self-employed person while the appeal procedure is underway.
File a written appeal
Notify the Flemish Minister for Work by letter that you are filing an appeal against the refusal of your professional card. Send your letter to this address:
Department of Work and Social Economy
Registrar of REOV (Council for Economic Research on Foreigners)
Koning Albert II-laan 35 box 20
1030 Brussels
Appeal procedure
- Stap 1
Once the Minister has received your appeal, he will request advice from the Council for Economic Research on Foreigners.
The Council for Economic Research on Foreigners is a body independent of the administration. The Council is chaired by a magistrate or a lawyer and consists of civil servants who represent the departments in question.
- Stap 2
The Council for Economic Research on Foreigners investigates your file. It may also invite you to come and defend your interests at a hearing:
- you may be assisted by a person of your choice
- if you are unable to attend, you may only be represented by a lawyer. What if this is not possible for you? Then you have the right to request a postponement of the hearing.
- Stap 3
The Council will issue a recommendation about your file to the Minister within 4 months. If the Council does not agree on a recommendation, the Minister alone decides.
- Stap 4
After those first 4 months, the Minister still has 2 months to reach a decision concerning your file. What if the Minister has not made a decision after that period? There are 2 options:
- either the Council's recommendation shall be accepted as a decision
- or your appeal is dismissed. This is also the case if the Council fails to give a recommendation.
- Stap 5
The decision concerning your file will be communicated to you. What if your appeal is dismissed? You can submit a request for cancellation with the Council of State. Do this by registered letter within 60 days of being informed about this decision.