News
From additional fees to ‘fast lanes’: 10 upcoming changes in Flemish labour migration
On 9 May 2025, the Flemish government approved the Flemish Minister for Work’s new concept note setting out a tightened and integrated labour migration policy based on 10 core principles. The proposed measures introduce stricter and more costly procedures for employers seeking to hire third-country nationals in Flanders. At the same time, the note promises […]
Retail promotions & pricing: legal essentials for retailers | Part 6 – Coupons and vouchers: don’t forget the mandatory information
This sixth part of our “Retail promotions & pricing: legal essentials for businesses” series lists the mandatory information to be provided when issuing titles giving a right to a discount, a subsequent refund of the price or a part of the price (such as coupons, vouchers etc.).
Coupons and vouchers are commonly used by retailers to offer discounts or partial refunds on purchases. However, to ensure transparency and legal compliance, certain essential details must be included.
Retail promotions & pricing: legal essentials for retailers | Part 5 – Promotional contests: how to organise them without legal risks
This fifth part of our “Retail promotions & pricing: legal essentials for businesses” series presents best practice in joint offers.
Retailers organise numerous games and contests in-store, on their websites and on social networks. Some of the most common practices do not strictly comply with Belgian law. Even if penalties are rare, it is worth following the few rules, especially as they are not so cumbersome.
Category Captains beware!: Belgian competition authority fines Category Management of OTC medicines
On 24 April 2025, the Belgian Competition Authority (BCA) announced a landmark decision imposing fines totaling over €11.2 million on three major pharmaceutical companies for their involvement in a long-running anti-competitive arrangement concerning the placement of over-the-counter (OTC) medicines in Belgian pharmacies..
Retail promotions & pricing: legal essentials for retailers | Part 4 – “Buy One, Get One Free?” Legal do’s and don’ts of joint offers
This fourth part of our “Retail promotions & pricing: legal essentials for businesses” series presents best practice in joint offers.
Skipping indexations: myth or fact?
In its judgment of 27 February 2025,[1] the Brussels labour court ruled that an employer in the insurance sector was entitled to unilaterally terminate the company practice of indexing full gross monthly wages exceeding the highest sector-level pay scale. According to the court, the employer had served notice in time to the employees about its […]
Retail promotions & pricing: legal essentials for retailers | Part 3 – Liquidation sales: when and how to legally conduct them
This third part of our “Retail promotions & pricing: legal essentials for businesses” series outlines when a retailer can sell in liquidation and the rules that it must follow.
The Mons Labour Court’s addition of a new condition for the validity of a non-solicitation clause : the beginning of a new era?
In a recently-published judgment [1] the Mons Labour Court has shed new light on the validity of a so-called non-solicitation clause in an employment contract, i.e. a clause prohibiting an employee from soliciting or enticing away customers and/or personnel from the (former) employer. Where certain case law had already pointed out in the past that, […]
Retail promotions & pricing: legal essentials for retailers | Part 2 – Sales periods: rules, restrictions, and compliance
This second article in our “Retail promotions & pricing: legal essentials for businesses” series presents an overview of the specific rules governing sales in Belgium.
Three months’ protection indemnity for a dismissed DPO
In a recent judgment,[1] the French-speaking section of the Brussels Labour Court confirmed that a Data Protection Officer (DPO) may not be penalised or dismissed for reasons related to his/her function as a DPO, based on Article 38, §3 of the GDPR. The court ruled that the employer had violated this provision as it had failed to prove that the employment contract’s termination was not linked to the employee’s DPO role…
Retail promotions & pricing: legal essentials for retailers | Part 1 – Price reduction announcements: the legal framework and best practices
This first part of our “Retail promotions & pricing: legal essentials for businesses” series gives an overview of the rules and best practices governing price reduction announcements…
The IOS procedure: avoid the courts when recovering undisputed claims
Since 2016, the law has provided for an administrative procedure for the recovery of undisputed and payable monetary debts in B2B relationships. This “IOS procedure” allows companies to obtain an enforceable title without first having to go through traditional court proceedings, and thus constitutes an efficient and time-saving alternative.
The new Belgian government’s public health policy: 10 key take-aways for pharma policy
The new Belgian federal government has outlined its vision for public health in a policy paper under the slogan “More money for health, more health for our money”. Public health is a high-priority sector with a significant budget, and the policy paper introduces several key measures that will shape the pharmaceutical industry in the coming years. For pharma companies operating in Belgium, these developments bring both new regulatory challenges and strategic opportunities. Here is a focused analysis of ten key changes and their potential impact on the pharma industry.
CJEU’s DocMorris Ruling: where is the line for pharmaceutical advertising?
The intersection of pharmaceutical advertising, consumer protection, and internal market freedoms remains a complex legal battleground within the EU. In Apothekerkammer Nordrhein v. DocMorris NV (C-517/23), the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) revisited the meaning of ‘advertising of medicinal products’, clarifying how far national restrictions on pharmaceutical advertisements can go under EU pharmaceutical law and internal market principles.
The long-awaited Coalition Agreement at a glance: what HR measures will employers face? | part 6: (International) labour market
After months of negotiations, the Arizona parties forming the new government reached a Coalition Agreement on 31 January 2025. This Coalition Agreement has announced a number of ambitious measures that will bring about significant changes in employment and social security law.
The ALTIUS Employment Team gives you an overview of the most important announced HR measures in a series of 6 “highlights”.
The long-awaited Coalition Agreement at a glance: what HR measures will employers face? | part 5: Incapacity for work and well-being
After months of negotiations, the Arizona parties forming the new government reached a Coalition Agreement on 31 January 2025. This Coalition Agreement has announced a number of ambitious measures that will bring about significant changes in employment and social security law.
The ALTIUS Employment Team gives you an overview of the most important announced HR measures in a series of 6 “highlights”.
The long-awaited Coalition Agreement at a glance: what HR measures will employers face? | part 4 : End-of-career and pensions
After months of negotiations, the Arizona parties forming the new government reached a Coalition Agreement on 31 January 2025. This Coalition Agreement has announced a number of ambitious measures that will bring about significant changes in employment and social security law.
The ALTIUS Employment Team will give you an overview of the most important announced HR measures in a series of 6 “highlights”, grouped around 6 “domains”.
The new federal government’s Coalition Agreement of 31 January 2025: implications for the real estate and construction sector
After more than seven months of intense negotiations, a federal government (baptised the “Arizona coalition”) has been formed, resulting in a 200-page long – sometimes very detailed – coalition agreement for the period 2025-2029 (the “Federal Coalition Agreement”). Some of the measures set out in the new Federal Coalition Agreement will have an impact on (parts of) the real estate sector…
The impact of Book 6 of the Belgian Civil Code on private equity
Altius lawyers featured in LIR Belgium We are proud to announce that ALTIUS lawyers Marie Brasseur and Hugo Gigounon have contributed to the second edition of The Legal Industry Review: Belgium (LIR Belgium). In their article, they provide insights on the new liability rules introduced under Book 6 of the Belgian Civil Code, with a […]
The long-awaited Coalition Agreement at a glance: what HR measures will employers face? | part 3 : Dismissal and unemployment
After months of negotiations, the Arizona parties forming the new government reached a Coalition Agreement on 31 January 2025. This Coalition Agreement has announced a number of ambitious measures that will bring about significant changes in employment and social security law.
The ALTIUS Employment Team will give you an overview of the most important announced HR measures in a series of 6 “highlights”.
The long-awaited Coalition Agreement at a glance: what HR measures will employers face? | part 2 : Working time
After months of negotiations, the Arizona parties forming the new government reached a Coalition Agreement on 31 January 2025. This Coalition Agreement has announced a number of ambitious measures that will bring about significant changes in employment and social security law.
The ALTIUS Employment Team will give you an overview of the most important announced HR measures in a series of 6 “highlights”.
New year, new policy: CPVO updates its public access to documents policy
The Community Plant Variety Office (CPVO) recently revised its public access to documents policy to align with the European Union (EU)’s evolving transparency standards. Effective since 15 January 2025, the new policy seeks to ensure broad access to all documents that the CPVO holds, while protecting private parties’ commercial interests. In particular, a system of prior confidentiality requests has been put in place for applicants of Community plant variety rights (CPVR).
The long-awaited Coalition Agreement at a glance: what HR measures will employers face? | part 1: salary (cost) and benefits
After months of negotiations, the Arizona parties forming the new government reached a Coalition Agreement on 31 January 2025. This Coalition Agreement has announced a number of ambitious measures that will bring about significant changes in employment and social security law.
The ALTIUS Employment Team will give you an overview of the most important announced HR measures in a series of 6 “highlights”.
European Commission proposes new PPP labelling requirements
On 6 January 2025, the European Commission published a draft proposal aimed at further harmonising labelling requirements for plant protection products (PPPs) in the European Union (EU). The proposal intends to repeal the existing labelling rules and introduce certain new requirements, including mandatory digital labelling. Since the draft proposal has not yet been formally adopted, some changes to the final version remain possible.