The Loyens & Loeff Belgium Newsletter keeps you up to date on recent tax and corporate law developments in Belgium. The Newsletter also covers developments in EU Law.

2008 - Issue 1

• Introduction
• Flemish Inheritance tax
• Belgian Unfair Trade Practices Law substantially modified
• The Microsoft saga: the end of the story or the beginning of a new one
• Belgian Competition Council adopts new leniency programme
• Golden Shares under EC law: the Volkswagen Case
• Reform of the European Union: the Lisbon Treaty
• Organisation of social elections in May 2008 and inter-professional agreement on social dialogue

2007 - Issue 3

• Introduction
• Court of Cassation relaxes private use of public domain
• European Directive 2007/36: shareholders of listed companies going virtual
• Court of First Instance declines extending legal prvilege to in-house lawyers
• Network aspects of the new proposals to liberalise the energy markets
• Suretyship without consideration now subject to a new restrictive regime
• Seminars with the participation of Loyens

2007 - Issue 2

• Introduction
• New article 39bis in the Unfair Trade Practices Act
• Takeover-bids - Transition rules
• New regulation related to harassment
• Intellectual Property law
• Tax deduction for R&D income
• Transport of goods by road
• Suretyship without consideration now subject to a new restrictive regime

2007 - Issue 1

• VAT grouping in Belgium as from 1 April 2007
• The European Cooperative Society
• Classification of the employment relationship
• Court of cassation and capital gains
• Motor Vehicle Flash - Judgement of the European Court of Justice. The motor vehicle world reassured
• New Soil Statute in the Flemish Region - Loyens Client Seminar 24 May 2007!
  

2006 - Issue 3
Company law
European Directive relating to the capital of public limited liability companies

Environmental law
New Soil Statute in the Flemish Region expected soon!

Financial law
Implementation of the European Prospectus Directive (2003/71) into Belgian law

Tax law
Coordination centre status ECJ Decisioni, 22 June 2006

Loyens once again the best Benelux law firm

2006 - Issue 2
Company Law

• New legislation on winding-up of companies
• Management and Statutory Auditor reports – additional information to be included

Competition Law
Reform of the Belgian Competition Act

Employment Law

• Recent developments on whistleblowing schemes
• The “Generation Pact”

Estate Planning
10 years Dutch Estate Law Legal fiction not contrary to European Law

Tax Law
Pledge of shares and application of the Interest-Royalty and Parent-Subsidiary Directive

2006 - Issue 1

Commercial law
Exemption Regulation (EC) N° 772/2004 on Technology Transfer Agreements.
End of the transitional period

Company law
Filing annual or consolidated accounts late - one additional month of grace

Estate planning
Levy on Collective Investment Institutions

Financial law

• Abolition of Bearer Securities and promotion of Dematerialised
• Securities : the Law of 14 December 2005

Tax law
Tax Regime for Profit Participating Certificates introduced in Belgian law

Loyens US mission

Seminars with the participation of Loyens - 2006

2005 - Issue 4

• Introduction
• Law regarding pre-contractual information within the framework of commercial co-operation agreements
• Corporate governance code for non-listed companies (code buysse)
• Amendment to Belgian bancruptcy law creates possibility for release of personal security
• Collective bargaining agreement no. 85 on telework
• Income tax, vat and social contributions: new obligations in the case of transfer of a business
• even more trust in the trust (bis)
• Lloyens Asian mission
• Seminars with the participation of Loyens – 2006

2005 - Issue 3

• Introduction
• Exemption of withholding tax on interest paid to non-belgian banks 
• Financial assistance from an affiliated company
• Amended copyright act enters into force 
• The interprofessional dialogue 
• The european area of justice is knocking on our door 
• New rules for vat refund in the case of bankruptcy 
• New vat rules for leases on immovables 
• Seminars with the participation of Loyens – 2005

2005 - Issue 2

• Introduction
• Case law developments regarding directors liability
• Thin capitalisation rule not applicable to current accounts?
• Extended exemption regime of the parent-subsidiary directive implemented in Belgium
• Belgian tax authorities confirm favourable treatment of intra-group financial aid
• EU directive on cross-border mergers to be adopted soon
• New legislation curbs excessive promotion of medicinal products
• Five-year old taxes? Recovery possibly barred by statute of limitations
• Seminars with the participation of Loyens – 2005

2005 - Issue 1

• Introduction
• New cost-efficient rules on calling a general meeting
• Recent sources of corporate governance rules for Belgian listed companies
• Consequences of filing annual or consolidated accounts late - overview and new administrative sanctions
• Loss-generating structured finance transactions
• Parent-subsidiary directive applicable between belgian companies
• Parent-subsidiary dividend withholding tax exemption for usufructuary of underlying shares
• Soil decontamination legislation in the three regions
• Close-out netting arrangements create enforceable security interest in insolvency
• seminars with the participation of Loyens - 2005