Partnerblog
Important change in dismissal law as from 2023: Saturday no longer considered a working day
In Belgian employment law, Saturday is in principle considered a working day (in contrast to Sunday and legal holidays) even if the employees are not working on this day.
The European Commission updates rules for cooperation between competitors
On March 1, 2022 , the European Commission published its draft revised Horizontal Block Exemption Regulations (HBERs) and Guidelines for Horizontal Cooperation Agreements (Guidelines ). The stated aim of the revision is to make it easier for companies to cooperate in economically desirable ways and contribute to the digital and green transition. The current HBERs are set to expire on December 31, 2022 and it is therefore to be expected that the final revised HBERs and Guidelines will be adopted before the end of this year.
The new impact of the Brussels I regulation on arbitrators: analysis of the latest ruling of the European Court of Justice
In a judgment rendered on June 20, 2022, the Grand Chamber of the European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruled that a judgment rendered by a Court of a Member State in the terms of an arbitral award may in principle serve as a basis for refusing to recognize a subsequent irreconcilable judgment of another Member State. Nevertheless, this rule does not apply where the recognition decision leads to a result which a Court of a Member State could not have achieved directly without violating the fundamental provisions and objectives of the famous Brussels I Regulation. If at this stage this decision seems convoluted, let us detail the stakes of this ruling which will certainly be talked about among scholars and practitioners of law.
De wettelijke garantie bij consumentenkoop
Sinds 1 juni 2022 is de nieuwe garantieregeling voor consumenten in werking getreden, waardoor de consument voortaan beter beschermd is tegen producten en diensten die niet-conform verkocht worden binnen de Europese Unie. De nieuwe regeling is het resultaat van een herziening van de Europese regelgeving. De belangrijkste wijzigingen aan de bestaande garantieregeling is gelegen in het bewijs dat een product of dienst al dan niet-conform is: dit bewijs moet voortaan uitsluitend geleverd worden door de verkoper. Ook digitaal inhoud en diensten vallen sinds de wijziging onder het toepassingsgebied van de regelgeving.
The competent jurisdiction for international workers: how to find the place where the employee habitually works.
The concept of the “place where the employee habitually works” is an essential concept for determining which employment law is to be applied and which jurisdiction is competent. According to a recent case of the Belgian Supreme Court (Cour de Cassation), this concept should not be interpreted in a purely quantitative way, as in the place where the employee works the majority of his time.
Recht op een andere functie voor personen met een handicap?
Is een werkgever verplicht om een werknemer die wegens een handicap zijn oorspronkelijke functie niet meer kan uitoefenen, in een andere functie binnen de onderneming te werk te stellen? Over deze belangrijke vraag sprak het Hof van Justitie zich op 10 februari 2022 uit in een interessant arrest.
Whistleblower protection: ready for action?
The European Whistleblowing Directive (the Directive) provides for the establishment of mandatory secure channels for reporting breaches of EU law and the protection of those who report breaches in a professional context.
The EU data strategy: a complex attempt to unlock data
Since the European Commission proposed its European strategy for data on 19 February 2020 (followed by the European Parliament’s resolution “European strategy for data”), the Commission has issued the Data Governance Act (DGA) and the Data Act (DA) aiming at creating a single market for data and establishing European leadership in the global data economy.
Actualia: prijsstijgingen- en herzieningen in commerciële en publieke contracten
Actualia: prijsstijgingen- en herzieningen in commerciële en publieke contracten
Updates regarding the telework cost compensation
Updates regarding the telework cost compensation
The new restructuring directive and its implementation in belgian law
On June 20th, 2019 the EU issued a new Directive on preventive restructuring frameworks, discharge of debt and disqualifications, and measures to increase the efficiency of procedures concerning restructuring, insolvency and discharge of debt (hereafter referred to as ‘The Directive’), in its first attempt to harmonize substantive rules on insolvency law within the Union.
Overview of upcoming social legislation in Belgium
The Belgian government is currently working on several important new and amending laws and rules regarding employment law. Below, we provide a concise overview and an estimated timeline for their implementation.
Contracts for the sale of goods and for the supply of digital content and services: new rules to enter into force in Belgium on 1 June 2022
On 1 June 2022, the Belgian law transposing the EU directives on certain aspects of contracts for the supply of digital content and digital services (2019/770) and for the sale of goods (2019/771) will enter into force, thereby ushering in a number of changes.
Arbitrage en consumentenbescherming
Het ‘Handboek Arbitrage’ van mr. Kris Wagner is momenteel het enige Nederlandstalige omvattende handboek . De auteur biedt hierin een grondige en praktijkgerichte bespreking van de materie.
Making sustainable products the norm in the EU
In our society today, we use a variety of products often without reflecting on their impact on the environment.
Een lagere drempel voor proactieve detectie van discriminatie op de arbeidsmarkt via mysterycalls: what’s new?
Op 8 mei 2022 trad een wetswijziging van het Sociaal Strafwetboek (artikel 42/1) in werking. Met de wijziging zou de arbeidsinspectie meer ruimte moeten krijgen om via mysterycalls of anonieme praktijktesten discriminatie bij sollicitaties op te sporen.