Brussels Ukraïna Review Edition 4

Reform of the Belgian legislation on customs and excise duties

Imagine returning from a trip. Upon your arrival at Brussels Airport, customs officers stop you for an inspection. You realize that you have not declared goods that should have been declared. The General Administration of Customs and Excise intends to impose a penalty on you and offers a settlement to resolve the dispute. That’s when the trouble begins...

New rules starting in 2025 for the liability of parents and animal owners

On January 1, 2025, the new Book 6 "non-contractual liability" of the Civil Code will come into effect, a legal code that dates back to 1804 and was introduced by Napoleon himself. In addition to numerous contractual relationships, legal practice consists of a wide range of relationships that have not been pre-agreed but arise nonetheless, forcing people into relationships with each other, for example, when someone has made a mistake or has been careless or negligent. These non-contractual relationships were governed by articles 1382-1386bis of the (old) Civil Code, and these rules are now changing.

The “clear language” compromise model often used by real estate agents and notaries: When simplifying could lead to danger

In real estate transactions, drafting a sales compromise is a crucial step, governed by precise and often complex rules. In Belgium, a "clear language" compromise model was developed in January 2020 by representatives of the real estate and notary professions. This model aims to make the sales compromise more understandable for the parties, especially the buyers.