Tags: Life Sciences
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).
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.
Pharma Law Seminar 2025
We are delighted to invite you again to our annual Pharma Law Seminar!
CJEU C-793/22 Biohemp – Indoor Cannabis Cultivation: The CJEU Weighs in
The Cannabis sativa L. plant serves a wide range of purposes, many of which are uncontroversial. It can be grown in the EU, in which context it is commonly called ‘hemp’. The plant notably produces cannabidiol (CBD), which the Court of Justice of the European Union has unequivocally ruled is not a narcotic drug. Nonetheless, some EU Member States remain reluctant to accept hemp cultivation.
Don’t let plant breeder’s rights steal your tasty Christmas!
Plant Variety Rights (PVR) are an important and perhaps lesser known aspect of intellectual property that can significantly impact the food and feed industry. You may have encountered PVRs in passing but never fully considered their impact. As the holiday season fills shelves with seasonal treats and festive feasts, it’s worth asking: does a food product infringe PVRs when processing protected ingredients? Does the PVR holder have a claim on the final product? Are you allowed to refer to a protected variety’s name in your product labeling?
Life Sciences Webinar: Prescription for Cyber Protection: NIS2 Compliance in the Life Science Industry
The NIS2 Act will apply in Belgium from 18 October 2024. This webinar considers the impact for the life sciences industry: Which companies must comply? What are the key obligations? What types of enforcement can be expected? Join us on 3 October for this information session.
Belgium gears up to enforce the EU Deforestation Regulation
The EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) was published on 9 June 2023 and came into force on 29 June 2023. Member States, including Belgium, must establish legal frameworks for enforcement.
EU Court of Justice interprets import ban on Chinese animal products: fish oil for feed is not an exempted “fishery product”
On 21 March 2024, the EU Court of Justice (‘CJEU’) handed down its ruling in case C‑7/23, concerning a dispute between a feed company and the Federal Agency for the Safety of the Food Chain. The parties differed in their interpretation of an EU import ban on products of animal origin coming from China. The Council of State sought the CJEU’s guidance.
CJEU balances strict obligations for wholesalers of medicines with proportional penalties
On 21 September 2023, the EU Court of Justice (‘CJEU’) handed down its ruling in the Apotheke B. case (C-47/22), and it is a good example of the high threshold set by the EU Court of Justice to uphold the Community Code’s main aim of protecting public health.
Agri-food Law Seminar 2024
We are delighted to invite you again to our annual Agri-food Law Seminar! Discover the seminar’s program here!
Hospital mergers no longer subject to the Belgian Competition Authority’s prior review
The legislator has now had the last word, by providing that, in principle, hospital mergers are no longer subject to the BCA’s prior review and approval.
Pharma Law Seminar 2024
We are delighted to invite you again to our annual Pharma Law Seminar!
EU citizens rally for medical cannabis but face a rigid European Commission
In the EU, access to medical cannabis is a matter of national policy. A group of citizens wants to change that by leveraging a citizens’ initiative and prompting the European Commission to act.
WEBINAR VIDEO | Belgium’s medicines reimbursement reform
During this webinar, Kirian Claeyé and Bart Junior Bollen guide you through the eagerly anticipated reform of the reimbursement procedures for medicines in Belgium.
Belgium’s medicines reimbursement reform: what’s in store for you?
No need to apply for reimbursement of this webinar, since it is provided to you free of charge by our pharma law experts Kirian Claeyé and Bart Junior Bollen. They will guide you through the eagerly anticipated reform of the reimbursement procedures for medicines in Belgium.
Changes in the law on marketing of veterinary medicines: what you need to know
Belgium is welcoming a significant development in the field of veterinary medicine law. The Act of 11 July 2023 containing various provisions on health, which entered into force on 8 September 2023, introduces changes across a wide spectrum of healthcare domains, which are encompassed in approximately 20 chapters.
EU Court of Justice: Parallel importer may not remove PPP batch number
This blog post mainly focuses on the CJEU’s findings regarding the responsibility of parallel importers for ensuring the display of the original batch number on the product packaging.
Three changes in Belgian food law in 2023
In this short article, our food law experts look at two developments in Belgian food law that have taken place in 2023.
The 5 major changes in Belgian pharma law of 2023
In this article, our pharma law experts look back and discuss five noteworthy developments in Belgian pharma law.
Belgium aims for hospitals to increase their biosimilars uptake
Despite many initiatives by the (former) Minister of Health, the uptake of biosimilars in Belgium has remained rather low. In this blog, we summarise the new rules, which apply since 2 October 2023.
The Belgian Competition Authority publishes a specific analytical framework for hospital concentrations
This article is an updated version of our previous article on the uncertainty regarding hospital merger control, focusing on the BCA’s decision of 28 June 2023.
WEBINAR VIDEO | Navigating Mergers and Acquisitions in Life Sciences: Insights for Success and Pitfalls to avoid
During this webinar, the experts from our assembled transactions team, Richard Liu, Mieke D’hanis and Pauline Geentjens, provide valuable insights, inform you of common pitfalls and let you in on a number of tips and tricks during an Mergers and Acquisitions process.
New product liability regime on the way
The European Commission published a draft proposal for a revised Product Liability Directive (the “PLD Proposal”) on 28 September 2022, which aims to bring the European Union’s product liability regime ‘up to speed’ with the digital age, circular economy business models and global value chains.
Navigating Mergers and Acquisitions in Life Sciences: Insights for Success and Pitfalls to avoid
The experts from our assembled transactions team will provide valuable insights, inform you of common pitfalls and let you in on a number of tips and tricks during an M&A process.