Andersen and GUBERNA proudly announce their new research partnership, aimed at strengthening hospital governance.

As an international full-service business law firm, Andersen brings extensive expertise in legal, tax, and financial matters within hospital structures and collaborations.
GUBERNA, as a knowledge institute and member network for directors, translates scientifically grounded insights from its Centre for Social Governance into practical guidelines and tools that strengthen hospital governance.
Hospitals are facing major challenges in various areas: mergers, public procurement, ICT, financing, real estate, tax, and stakeholder management. GUBERNA focuses on governance. Andersen contributes legal, tax and operational expertise to support well-informed hospital directors.
Within this partnership, we will combine our expertise in research, publications, and training initiatives related to hospital governance. Together, we aim to create stronger and future-proof governance through practical insights.
Today, we hosted our first joint initiative: the Hospital Governance Forum, centered on “Checks & balances in hospital governance.” The event also marked the official announcement of our new partnership.
“With GUBERNA, we combine our legal, tax, and operational expertise with thoroughly substantiated governance insights. Our goal is to give hospital directors a solid foundation to make complex decisions—from financing and public tenders to collaborations and real estate—in a transparent, responsible, and forward-looking way. Strong governance is a lever for better care and sustainable hospitals.”
– Koen De Puydt, Managing Partner, Andersen Belgium
“We believe that good governance can support the financial, clinical, and strategic performance of hospitals. By joining forces with Andersen, we aim to further uncover the specific governance challenges hospitals face and work together on practical solutions that help directors fulfil their societal responsibility.”
– Ewout Görtz, Senior Researcher Public & Social Governance, GUBERNA
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28.07.2026
•Commercial and Economic Law, Andersen in Belgium
Since 1 July 2026, low-value imports from third countries have been subject to a new customs regime. Council Regulation (EU) 2026/382 of 11 February 2026, amending Council Regulation (EC) No 1186/2009 as regards the removal of the customs duty relief based on a value threshold, abolishes the customs duty exemption that previously applied to consignments with an intrinsic value of less than €150. At the same time, it introduces, on a transitional basis, a flat-rate customs duty of €3 per item in certain situations. This reform constitutes one of the first components of the comprehensive overhaul of the EU Customs Union launched by the European Commission to adapt customs rules to the rapid expansion of global e-commerce.

10.07.2026
•Tax Law, Andersen in Belgium
The Programme Law of 30 May 2026 has introduced - with retroactive effect from 1 January 2026 - a new condition for applying the flat-rate deduction of expenses from the gross income derived from copyright and related rights.

08.07.2026
•Real Estate, Renting and Co-ownership, Andersen in Belgium
Can a landlord refuse a prospective tenant because their income is less than three times the rent? This question has been central to the debate on discrimination in the rental market for several years. In a judgment of 30 March 2026, the Council of State expressly addressed this so-called “three-times-rent rule” for the first time. The judgment provides important clarification for landlords, real estate investors and real estate agents. The Council of State does not hold that the three-times-rent rule is automatically permissible in all circumstances. It does, however, consider that an income requirement equal to three times the rent and charges is not, in itself, disproportionate and therefore cannot, without more, be regarded as prohibited discrimination on the basis of wealth.

08.07.2026
•Commercial and Economic Law, Andersen in Belgium
On 20 May 2026, the Belgian Council of State delivered three landmark judgments (Nos. 266.735, 266.736 and 266.737) holding that the Belgian prohibition on using the terms soldes, solden, sales, Schlussverkauf outside the statutory winter and summer sales periods is incompatible with European Union law and can no longer be enforced.