Dual-use defence contracts : which procurement directive applies ? The CJEU clarifies the applicable rules for mixed public contracts.
In a judgment of 18 December 2025, the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) clarified which procurement regime applies to mixed public contracts combining defence-related services and ordinary logistical services. Background In 2022, the Italian Ministry of Defence (Ministero della Difesa) launched an open procedure for the award of a public contract for […]
Eigendom van dividenden bij overdracht van aandelen
I. Dividenden als vruchten van aandelen Traditioneel rees de vraag of dividenden juridisch moeten worden gekwalificeerd als vruchten of als opbrengsten. Vruchten van een goed zijn datgene wat dat goed periodiek voortbrengt, zonder dat dit de substantie ervan wijzigt en ongeacht of het uit zichzelf gebeurt of als gevolg van de valorisatie ervan (art. 3.42, […]
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 […]
Gunstregime voor de schenking van familiale ondernemingen en vennootschappen
Procedure en wijzigingen vanaf 1 januari 2026 In Vlaanderen bestaat een specifiek fiscaal gunstregime voor de overdracht van familiale ondernemingen en familiale vennootschappen. Dit regime vormt al jaren een hoeksteen van de successie- en vermogensplanning voor ondernemersfamilies en heeft als doel de continuïteit van economisch actieve ondernemingen te vrijwaren bij overdrachten binnen de familie. Wanneer […]
Autofiscaliteit 2025–2026: waar moeten ondernemingen rekening mee houden?
De Belgische autofiscaliteit heeft de voorbije jaren een fundamentele koerswijziging ondergaan. Waar het systeem historisch gericht was op een gedeeltelijke fiscalisering van het privégebruik van bedrijfswagens, is vandaag duidelijk gekozen voor een beleidsinstrument ter vergroening van het wagenpark. Deze evolutie vertaalt zich in een steeds strengere fiscale behandeling van voertuigen met een CO₂-uitstoot en een […]
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 […]