First, we are pleased to announce that the West Flanders team of Philippe & Partners has joined Andersen in Belgium. Based in Roeselare, the team is led by Partner Dirk Clarysse, together with Charlotte Romaen, Senior Counsel.

With more than 25 years of experience, Dirk has built a strong reputation in commercial law, corporate law, M&A and dispute resolution, advising businesses on complex matters. In addition to his registration with the West Flanders Bar Association, Dirk is also a member of the Brussels Bar Association.
In 2024 and 2025, Dirk was recognized by Legal 500 in the field of Dispute Resolution, underscoring his strong reputation in the market. Their integration reinforces our local presence in West Flanders while adding significant commercial expertise to our firm.
At the same time, we are delighted to announce the appointment of Tom De Koster as Partner at Andersen. Tom has extensive experience in corporate law and M&A, with a strong focus on company acquisitions, restructurings and private and venture capital investments. His practice regularly involves complex and international transactions, including in the real estate sector.
In addition to his advisory work, Tom is a lecturer in corporate and economic law and a frequent speaker and author, reflecting both his technical expertise and his commitment to knowledge sharing. Together, these developments represent an important step in the continued expansion of our M&A and commercial practice. We look forward to continuing the development of our firm alongside our new colleagues and thank our clients for their continued trust.
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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.

23.06.2026
•Commercial and Economic Law, Andersen in Belgium
The growth of e-commerce has fundamentally transformed consumer behaviour. To encourage online purchasing, retailers have progressively introduced customer-friendly policies: free delivery, free returns, extended return periods, and no-questions-asked refunds.