Digital transformation has become a defining force across all professional sectors and for Belgium’s property experts, the impact is especially clear. Energy performance certifiers, building inspectors, and facility assessors are expected to deliver faster, more accurate reports while meeting increasingly strict compliance standards. Yet, many small agencies and independent certifiers still rely on fragmented spreadsheets and manual workflows. 

The Belgian government recognises this gap. Through a growing number of grants, tax incentives, and regional aid schemes, it is helping professionals adopt digital tools that improve productivity and quality of service. In this context, platforms such as ExpertOps, designed for inspection scheduling, reporting, and invoicing, perfectly align with these public priorities. 

1. Why Digital Transformation Matters For Property Experts

The property-expert profession has evolved rapidly. Between new EPC/PEB standards, stricter audit trails, and growing client demand for transparency, professionals face a dual pressure: do more, faster, while ensuring accuracy and compliance. 

A recent European Digital Decade Report on Belgium shows that 74.5% of Belgian SMEs have reached a basic level of digital intensity, but only a minority use integrated or AI-supported tools. That gap represents both a challenge and an opportunity. 

For property experts, going digital means: 

• Less administration: reports, invoices, and schedules integrated in one platform. 

• More reliability: automated data storage, fewer manual errors. 

• Better client experience: faster turnaround and professional reporting. 

• Regulatory readiness: secure data handling aligned with GDPR and audit standards. 

However, the main barrier has always been cost. That’s why public authorities across Belgium: federal, regional, and EU-funded have created mechanisms to make digital investment accessible for small and medium enterprises. 

2. Key public support mechanisms for digitalisation 

Belgium offers a variety of digital grants, subsidies, and tax incentives specifically designed for SMEs and self-employed professionals upgrading their tools and processes. 

1. Brussels digitalisation grant 

The Brussels-Capital Region provides a Digitalisation Grant to help companies adopt digital tools, including ERP, CRM, or scheduling software. The grant covers 25% to 70% of eligible costs, depending on company size and type of project. 

For property inspectors or certifiers based in Brussels, this means a large part of their ExpertOps subscription or implementation costs can be reimbursed. 

2. Federal investment deduction for digital assets 

Since 2025, Belgium’s federal government allows a 20% investment deduction on digital tools: software, online platforms, and digital infrastructure. This reduces the taxable income of SMEs investing in technology. 

Moreover, professionals using certified e-invoicing systems (such as PEPPOL-compliant platforms) may benefit from a 120% tax deduction for digital invoicing solutions. This measure aims to speed up the transition to electronic invoicing and improve financial efficiency.

3. SME Growth Subsidy – Flanders (VLAIO) 

In Flanders, the SME Growth Subsidy supports companies implementing digitalisation strategies. The scheme funds up to €50,000 per project for growth initiatives that include software and process optimisation. 

For EPC/PEB certifiers expanding their operations or modernising project management, ExpertOps can be included as part of the funded investment plan. 

4. Wallonia digital transformation programmes 

Wallonia’s Digital Agency offers “Chèques-Entreprises” for digital diagnostics and technology implementation. These cover consultancy and software costs aimed at helping small businesses digitalise operations. 

The region also runs initiatives in partnership with Digital Innovation Hubs (DIHs) that provide training, pilot testing, and funding for innovative digital tools. 

5. European-level support 

Through programmes such as Interoperable Europe and the EU Digital SME Fund, European grants are available to help small enterprises improve their digital competitiveness. These complement national incentives and reflect the EU’s goal of achieving 75% SME digital adoption by 2030. 

3. Why the government is investing in your digital transition 

Behind these financial aids lies a clear policy direction: to make Belgium a leader in the EU’s digital economy. The European Commission’s Digital Strategy highlights that digitally advanced SMEs are 25% more productive and 10% more resilient than their non-digital peers. 

For the property-expert sector, this means that digitalisation is not just encouraged, it’s part of the country’s competitiveness plan. Governments view professionals like EPC/PEB certifiers, surveyors, and inspectors as essential intermediaries in the energy transition and housing-quality goals.

By subsidising digital tools, the public sector ensures that these experts can: 

• Deliver faster, more reliable data to clients and regulators. 

• Improve the traceability of reports and certifications. 

• Integrate electronic invoicing for tax transparency. 

• Reduce their administrative footprint and environmental impact. 

As the Two Birds Digitalisation Study (2025) puts it: “Digital maturity among SMEs is now a public-policy priority, directly linked to economic sustainability.” 

4. From policy to practice: digitalisation as a performance driver 

While policy language focuses on “innovation capacity” and “data-driven transformation,” the reality for small property businesses is simple: they need tools that work, software that saves time and reduces administrative pain.

This is where ExpertOps fits naturally. The platform is designed for the daily needs of property experts, from field scheduling and multi-party coordination to automated reporting and e-invoicing, all while staying aligned with Belgium’s fiscal and digital incentives. 

ExpertOps helps you: 

• Digitise your workflow: One system for scheduling, inspection data, reports, and invoices. 

• Improve cash flow: Integrated invoicing aligned with PEPPOL standards, qualifying for tax deductions. 

• Reduce admin costs: Automation cuts repetitive work, improving ROI on any subsidised investment. 

• Strengthen compliance: GDPR, e-invoicing, and audit traceability built in. 

• Scale your business: Add new team members or projects without new tools. 

These are exactly the outcomes Belgium’s public programmes aim to encourage: more productivity, transparency, and digital resilience in professional services. 

5. The new competitive edge for property experts 

Public incentives have transformed digitalisation from a long-term ambition into an immediate business advantage. The ability to integrate inspections, scheduling, and invoicing through one platform is not only more efficient, it now comes with partial public funding.

Across Belgium, we’re seeing a clear pattern: 

• Early adopters of digital tools gain faster response times and better client retention. 

• Digitally compliant firms enjoy smoother audits and higher trust among partners. 

• Subsidy-backed investments deliver rapid ROI, since grants reduce up-front costs while automation increases throughput. 

As noted by ClearTax Belgium (2025), “Digitalisation incentives are no longer limited to tech companies, they now target every professional sector where process automation improves compliance and productivity.” 

6. Practical steps for property experts 

If you’re a certifier, inspector, or property-assessment professional, here’s how to take advantage of these schemes: 

1. Audit your digital maturity: Identify which parts of your workflow (scheduling, reporting, invoicing) are still manual or fragmented. 

2. Check eligibility: Visit regional portals such as hub.brussels, VLAIO (Flanders), or Chèques-Entreprises (Wallonia) to review criteria. 

3. Prepare a project plan: Describe how adopting ExpertOps will improve efficiency and digital maturity. 

4. Apply early: Most grants require pre-approval before purchasing software. 

5. Keep documentation: Record invoices and implementation proof for tax deductions. 

6. Measure impact: Track how digital tools reduce admin hours, errors, and turnaround time. 

This proactive approach shows clients and authorities alike that you are future-ready, compliant, and efficient. 

7. Conclusion: subsidies as a bridge to digital efficiency 

For Belgium’s property experts, the digital shift is both a necessity and an opportunity. The convergence of public incentives, regulatory evolution, and market expectations has created an ideal moment to modernise operations. 

By leveraging subsidies and tax deductions, small inspection and certification firms can access professional-grade digital tools like ExpertOps at a fraction of the cost: transforming administrative complexity into operational efficiency. 

In a profession built on precision, transparency, and trust, going digital isn’t just good business and it’s now supported by policy. Belgium is paying you to work smarter. 

Bibliography 

1. European Commission. (2025). Belgium 2024 Digital Decade Country Report. https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/factpages/belgium-2024-digital-decade-country-report 

2. hub.brussels. (2025). Digitalisation grant – support for entrepreneurs. https://info.hub.brussels/en/guide/subsidies-entrepreneurs/digitalisation-grant  

3. MyFlexina. (2025). 120% tax deduction for e-invoicing and digital tools in Belgium. https://www.myflexina.com/en/blog/deduction-fiscale-belgique-facturation-peppol/#:~:text=The%20120%25%20tax%20deduction%20is,Flexina%2C%20from%20their%20taxable%20income  

4. VLAIO. (2025). SME Growth Subsidy – digitalisation support in Flanders. https://www.vlaio.be/en/subsidies/sme-growth-subsidy/how-apply-sme-growth-subsidy  

5. Ayming Belgium. (2025). R&D funding grants and subsidies in Belgium. https://www.ayming.be/en/grants-and-subsidies/  

6. Interoperable Europe Portal. (2025). EU digital funding opportunities. https://interoperable-europe.ec.europa.eu/eu-digital-funding-opportunities  

7. ClearTax Belgium. (2025). Tax incentives for digitalisation and e-invoicing. https://www.cleartax.com/be/belgium-tax-incentives  

8. Two Birds. (2025). Key milestones & best practices in the EU’s public digitalisation journey. https://www.twobirds.com/en/insights/2025/key-milestones--best-practices-in-the-eus-public-digitalisation-journey-building-blocks-to-bridge-th