The electronic signature: which validity?
With the COVID-19 crisis and the rise of teleworking, certain practices have evolved as the use of electronic signatures, which may soon become the rule rather than the exception. In practice, it is not always clear which documents can be signed electronically, which type of electronic signature should be used and what is its legal […]
COVID-19 – IP Offices take measures to face the pandemic – Update 7 July
Update 7 July 2020 | The COVID-19 pandemic has been progressing worldwide. In an effort to control its expansion, public authorities have taken restrictive measures that impact both people and companies on their territory. In this context, IP Offices have adopted decisions to secure their users’ rights and the safety of their staff. Here are […]
Fanny Laune featured in Trends-Tendances regarding judicial restructuring procedure
Fanny Laune is featured in the Trends-Tendances article “Faut-il assouplir la réorganisation judiciaire?” by Gilles Quoistiaux. This is the opportunity to share views on a draft bill aiming to simplify this rescue procedure for companies which will likely boom in the coming months… The article is available here. Should you have any question on this […]
Simont Braun recognised again for its patent expertise by iAM 1000
Our IP team has again been highly recognised in Silver Band for its expertise in patents by iAM Patent. The department is ranked in Silver with the following mention: “Complex global patent litigation is meat and drink to the lawyers at Simont Braun, who conjure up ingenious solutions to contentious challenges in the life sciences, […]
Suspension of the notice periods during Corona temporary unemployment
The law of 15 June 2020 that aimed at suspending the notice periods during the days of temporary unemployment due to force majeure as a result of the COVID-19 crisis came into force today. The law applies to all dismissals with a notice period to be served that have begun since 1 March 2020. The […]
Manuela von Kuegelgen interviewed in Le Soir Immo
Manuela von Kuegelgen, partner in Real Estate, Public & Administrative Law, got featured in Le Soir Immo (Thursday 11 June), providing insight on practical questions raised by the recent CoBAT reform. The full interview is available here.
Green light for the “Corona Parental Leave” until 30 June 2020
To help the workers who have to look after their children while schools are closed following the containment measures, the government has provided for the possibility to take a “Corona parental leave” (Royal Decree of 13 May 2020). The main features of this parental leave are as follows: Workers can take a 1/5 time or […]
Covid-19 – Temporary protective measures for enterprises in difficulty – Extended until 17 June
Update 13 May | The Federal Government has adopted new protective measures for enterprises affected by the COVID-19 crisis in the Royal Decree n°15 of 24 April 2020 (the “Royal Decree”). Which enterprises are eligible to benefit from these measures? Enterprises within the meaning of Book XX of the Belgian Code of Economic Law; whose […]
Update 29 April – Exceptional measures facilitating the functioning of corporate bodies in Belgium
Update 29 April Regulatory framework 1. Following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, a number of corporate entities are facing difficulty to organise their ordinary shareholders meetings and the meetings of their management bodies. Many companies have also decided to hold extraordinary shareholders meeting to adapt their articles of association to the provisions of the […]
IP & Covid-19: A 2-minute overview of the IP measures in Belgium by Emmanuel Cornu
The current context of the Covid-19 outbreak has many consequences for the world of intellectual property: the deadlines of the courts and offices have been extended, the authorities have reorganised their control activities, etc. As governmental measures differ from country to country, the UNIFAB invited Emmanuel Cornu to present a summary of the situation in […]
Autonomous Vehicles in Belgium. Is our legal system ready?
We have been hearing about autonomous vehicles (“AVs”) for quite a while. However, as time goes by, the use of AVs is getting closer to becoming a reality. In various countries, car manufacturers are now carrying out tests on open or closed parts of public roads. Just like engineers are facing technical challenges in this […]
Simont Braun authors ICLG Belgian Chapter on Trademarks
Emmanuel Cornu, Eric De Gryse, Romain Meys and Julie Kever authored the Belgian chapter on Trademarks in the International Comparative Legal Guides 2020, providing a high-level and easy-to-read overview of the key issues and legal principles applicable to this field. The Belgian chapter is available here. For any question in this area, do not hesitate to […]