Belgian VAT | Extended Revision Period for Renovation Works
A draft bill amending the Belgian VAT Code introduces important changes for real estate operators, in particular with respect to the VAT revision period applicable to renovation and transformation works. Going forward, a 15-year VAT revision period will apply not only to the construction and acquisition of new buildings, but also to renovation or transformation works that, by their […]
CRD6 | Important Changes Ahead for non-EU Banks in the EU
1. Introduction In July 2024, Directive (EU) 2024/1619 (“CRD6”) entered into force as part of the EU Banking Package, together with Regulation (EU) 2024/1623 (“CRR III”). While CRR III completes the implementation of the Basel III prudential standards, CRD6 mainly reshapes how banks are supervised and how non-EU institutions can operate in the European Union. […]
Belgium adopts reform to simplify compliance obligations for listed companies
I. Introduction On 4 December 2025, the Belgian Parliament approved a bill simplifying the compliance framework applicable to Belgian listed companies. The new rules entered into force on 3 January 2026. This reform aligns the Belgian regime more closely with that of other European jurisdictions, enhances organisational flexibility for listed companies, and contributes to reducing […]
Enhancing Claims’ Enforcement (including on crypto-assets) | A Landmark Year for the Central Point of Contact (CPC)
The enforcement of judgments by creditors against their debtors is frequently a sensitive and challenging stage in legal proceedings. This complexity largely stems from the fact that creditors do not always have full knowledge of their debtor’s assets, making it difficult to identify and target resources for enforcement. As a result, efficiently securing the recovery […]
Mio/Konektra | A Strengthened Framework for Copyright in Applied Art (CJEU 4 Dec 2025, C‑580/23 and C‑795/23)
On 4 December 2025, the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) delivered a seminal judgment in the joined cases Mio/Asplund (C‑580/23) and USM/Konektra (C‑795/23), both concerning the copyright protection of furniture designs. The judgment builds upon and refines the CJEU’s established case law – most notably in Cofemel and Brompton – to delineate […]
Belgium’s Proposed Capital Gains Tax on Financial Assets
I. Introduction: from political intention to legislative reality For decades, Belgium has been an outlier in Europe by not levying a general capital gains tax on financial assets held as private wealth. That exceptional position is now formally coming to an end. With the filing in Parliament on 17 December 2025 of a 272-page bill introducing a capital […]
Public Procurement in the Defence & Security Sector | 10 Strategic Points
10 strategic points of attention to secure your opportunities in Belgium Public procurement in the defence and security sector in Belgium is governed by a specific legal regime, stemming from the Act of 13 August 2011 and its implementing Royal Decree of 23 January 2012, which transposes European Directive 2009/81/EC. This framework seeks to reconcile […]
Advocate General’s Opinion in Ikea v Vlaams Belang | Political Use of Trade Marks and “Due Cause”
Introduction On 13 November 2025, Advocate General (AG) Szpunar delivered his Opinion in Case C‑298/23, Inter IKEA Systems BV v. Vrijheidsfonds VZW and others. The case concerns the use of IKEA’s well‑known trade marks in a political campaign run for the Belgian political party Vlaams Belang and, more broadly, how far political actors can go […]
OECD Releases Side-by-Side Administrative Guidance Package on Pillar Two
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has released a Side-by-Side administrative guidance package under the Pillar Two Global Anti-Base Erosion (GloBE) framework. The guidance is designed to support the coordinated and consistent application of the GloBE rules across jurisdictions, with a particular focus on the practical operation of side-by-side regimes adopted by different implementing countries and regions. From an administrative […]
MiCAR licence applications finally available in Belgium
1. Introduction Since 30 December 2024, the EU’s Regulation 2023/1114 on markets in crypto-assets (“MiCAR”) has been fully applicable. On 4 December 2025, the Belgian Parliament adopted, in plenary session, a law implementing MiCAR (the “Implementing Law”), which designates the national competent authorities responsible for the licensing, supervision, and enforcement of crypto-asset entities. The law, […]
The EBA sheds new light on Strong Customer Authentication
In October 2025, the European Banking Authority (“EBA”) released three Question and Answers (“Q&A”) on the topic of strong customer authentication (“SCA”). In particular, the Q&As focussed on the topics of (i) payment terminals that do not allow for an offline PIN, (ii) which encryption techniques should be used for exchanging data and (iii) the […]
An “alcohol-free gin” cannot be called “gin”
In a judgment of 13 November 2025 (C-563/24), the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) clarified that the use of the mention “gin” for non-alcoholic gin is prohibited, even if accompanied by the mention “alcohol-free” PB is a company that sells and promotes, among other things, a non-alcoholic beverage called “Virgin Gin Alkoholfrei” […]