Posts by Dieter Veestraeten

The final blow for Binance in Belgium? FSMA bans all operations of global crypto-platform.

30-06-2023

The Belgian financial watchdog FSMA announced in its communication last Friday that the global crypto-platform Binance should cease all its operations in Belgium, as the platform has continued to operate illegally in the country since it started offering its services. The FSMA is certainly not the first authority to act with a ban, as several […]

MiCA will make its mark: EU Parliament votes in favour of a first comprehensive crypto-legislation

05-05-2023

On April 20th 2023, the European Parliament took a plenary vote on the approval of the Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regulation, making it the first comprehensive legal framework for crypto-assets worldwide. As part of the Digital Finance package, the now approved regulation aims to “ensure that the Union’s financial services legislation is fit for the […]

A new step towards a regulated virtual currency market? FSMA publishes new rules on the advertisement of virtual currencies.

29-03-2023

On 17 March 2023, the Royal Decree of 5 January 2023 was published in the Belgian Official Gazette, approving the regulation of the Financial Services and Markets Authority (FSMA) on the introduction of a set of restrictive conditions on the commercialisation of virtual currencies to consumers. Some key takeaways are (i) the requirement of accurate […]

Don’t forget amending your articles of association to the new Belgian code of companies and associations timely!

17-02-2023

Have you incorporated a Belgian company before 1 May 2019? If so, your company’s articles of association may not have been adapted to the new Belgian Code of Companies and Associations (CCA) yet. You have time until 31 December 2023 at the latest to adapt your articles of association to the CCA. Below we offer […]

Dieter Veestraeten contributed the Belgian chapter to the Legal 500 Country Comparative Guide on Acquisition Finance 2023

17-01-2023

Dieter Veestraeten, Finance & Banking Partner at Astrea, contributed the Belgian chapter to the Legal 500 Country Comparative Guide on Acquisition Finance 2023 which covers recent trends and developments, regulatory and legal environment, credit support for acquisition financings, enforcement and priorities, tax and financing acquisitions of public companies. Find the chapter here.

Law amendment to definition of “PCP” on credit intermediation OF No more contact with public required for qualification as a person in contact with public

26-07-2022

In the context of financial law, the current definition of a “person in contact with the public” (“PCP”) will be expanded as of August 1, 2022. It will also include persons who are not in contact with the public. This is due to the Law of 27 June 2021 containing various financial provisions that will […]

Agreement reached on European crypto-assets regulation (MiCA)

11-07-2022

The market in crypto-assets has frequently been compared to the wild west due to its lack of regulatory framework. This is however about to change to a certain extent now the Council of the EU and the European Parliament have finally reached a provisional agreement on the Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) Regulation. The proposal, dating […]

Dieter Veestraeten contributed the Belgian chapter to the International Comparative Legal Guide to lending & secured finance 2022

18-05-2022

Dieter Veestraeten contributed the Belgian chapter to the International Comparative Legal Guide to lending & secured finance 2022. Astrea Banking & Finance Partner Dieter Veestraeten has contributed the Belgian Chapter 27 of the International Comparative Legal Guide (ICLG) to Lending & Secured Finance 2022. The ICLG to Lending & Secured Finance covers common issues in […]

Belgium further regulates crypto exchanges and wallet providers, while banning non-EEA ones

03-02-2022

Very quietly and relatively rapidly a new set of legislation amending the Belgian anti-money laundering act of 18 September 2017 was introduced and voted in Belgian Parliament in the course of January 2022, expanding the regulation of virtual currencies. Although the Belgian AML Act already included certain provisions and obligations in this respect (based on […]

New (fifth) edition of the Dutch book “Vastgoed & de complexe papierwinkel: wat u zeker niet mag vergeten!” available

25-01-2022

The new (fifth) edition of the Dutch book “Vastgoed & de complexe papierwinkel: wat u zeker niet mag vergeten!” is available. The book is written by Ciska Servais, Merel Huybrechts, Yannick Ballon, Matthias Helsen, Benoit Forêt & Jonas Deckers and gives an overview of the certificates that are needed for the sale and rental of […]

A new central register for business loans has arrived in Belgium

21-12-2021

By Act of 28 November 2021 a new legal framework for a central register of loans to companies has been created. The new register must aid the Belgian National Bank to fulfil its duty to centralize all information on loans, which it currently does through its Central Corporate Credit Register (CCCR) (Centrale voor kredieten aan […]

Flemish Municipal Roads decree largely passes Constitutional Court’s test

19-10-2021

On October 7, the Constitutional Court ruled partially in favor of the Flemish Region’s May 3, 2019 decree on Municipal Roads. The Court dismissed almost all appeals against the decree, with the exception of the appeal against the provision dealing with the relocation of municipal roads. The Municipal Roads decree introduces a uniform legal status […]

Recovery package for capital markets

21-10-2021

The COVID-19 pandemic, in addition to its impact on people, businesses and healthcare systems, also has an impact on the economies and financial systems of the European Member States. According to the European Commission, liquidity and access to finance will remain bottlenecks in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. The recovery from the severe economic […]

Vernietiging van het gewestelijk ruimtelijk uitvoeringsplan ‘Openruimtegebieden Beneden-Nete’ én omgevingsvergunning Sigmawerken

21-09-2021

Ciska Servais en Benoit Forêt van het omgevingsrecht-team van Astrea vertegenwoordigden de eigenaar van het beschermde kasteel Ringenhof in Lier in een procedure bij de Raad van State tegen het gewestelijk ruimtelijk uitvoeringsplan ‘Openruimtegebieden Beneden-Nete’, dat opgemaakt werd in uitvoering van het geactualiseerde Sigmaplan en als doel heeft om het nabijgelegen, bestaande overstromingsgebied om te […]

Het einde van de London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR)

10-09-2021

De LIBOR en soortgelijke rentes zullen vanaf 1 januari 2022 uit beeld verdwijnen en door risicovrije rentetarieven (RFR’s) worden vervangen. De LIBOR is verweven met de interbancaire geldmarkt, dit is de markt waarop banken aan elkaar lenen, maar ook met financiële transacties die een onderliggende waarde van meer dan 300 biljoen dollar hebben. Deze rentevoet […]

The end of the London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR)

10-09-2021

Following the widely known LIBOR-scandal, the LIBOR and similar interest rates will disappear from the scene as of 1 January 2022, and will be replaced by risk-free interest rates (RFR’s). The LIBOR is intertwined with the interbank money market, i.e. the market on which banks lend money to one another, but also with financial transactions […]

Stikstofarrest herbevestigd

19-08-2021

De Raad voor Vergunningsbetwistingen heeft in een schorsingsarrest van 12 augustus 2021 (RvVb-S-2021-1254) een omgevingsvergunning voor de bouw en uitbating van een tomatenkwekerij in Hoogstraten geschorst, en heeft haar eerdere rechtspraak uit het zgn. “stikstofarrest” herbevestigd.  Dit arrest heeft betrekking op een omgevingsvergunning die op 5 december 2020 door de bevoegde Vlaamse minister verleend werd […]

Lening op interest of kredietopening?

22-07-2021

In een arrest van 14 juni 2021 heeft het Hof van Cassatie zich opnieuw uitgesproken over de kwalificatie van een overeenkomst als kredietopening dan wel een lening op interest. De kwalificatie is onder meer van belang voor de bepaling van de omvang van de wederbeleggingsvergoeding. Een wederbeleggingsvergoeding is de vergoeding die verschuldigd is bij vervroegde […]

IFLR1000 2021 – Banking & Finance

03-06-2021

Astrea is delighted to announce that our Banking & Finance practice and our lead partner Dieter Veestraeten are once again recognized in this year’s IFLR1000 rankings as Tier 4 firm and as Highly regarded individual. Congratulations to our Banking & Finance team : Dieter Veestraeten, lead partner & Jan van Loon, associate. Special thanks to […]

Dieter Veestraeten en Jan Van Loon contributed the Belgian Chapter to the Legal 500 : Lending and Secured Finance Country Comparative Guide 2021

02-04-2021

Astrea Banking & Finance Partner Dieter Veestraeten and Associate Jan Van Loon have contributed the Belgian Chapter to The Legal 500: Lending & Secured Finance Country Comparative Guide 2021 (3rd Edition). The Legal 500’s Country Comparative Guides give a practical overview of the laws and regulations across a variety of jurisdictions, for specific practice areas. […]

Basis banking service now also available for enterprises

23-10-2020

On 23 October 2020, the Belgian Parliament has approved a law which makes a basic banking service available for enterprises (including self-employed persons, companies and non-profit associations), something which private persons have enjoyed for 15 years. In multiple sectors (especially the diamond, gaming, restaurant, and football sectors) entrepreneurs frequently have difficulties to find a financial […]

We advised Horizon Ventures with a multi series investment in Ghent based scale-up Cloudalize

20-04-2020

Steven De Schrijver and Dieter Veestraeten were advising Horizon Ventures, one of the largest venture capital funds of Hong Kong, on several rounds of investment in Cloudalize, a Belgian technology company. The Ghent based company Cloudalize offers a full-range of GPU-powered Cloud solutions for businesses. This is the first investment of Horizon Ventures in Belgium.

Acquisition of Objective by Alpina

Astrea assisted Alpina Capital Partners, a European technology growth investment firm, with respect to the acquisition of the majority of the shares of Objective, a software company based in Wichelen, Belgium.

ASTREA ADVISED ON BELGIAN LAW ASPECTS OF UNITANK SALE TO DIF AND ASI

28-03-2020

Astrea partners Dieter Veestraeten and Steven De Schrijver have advised the sellers on the Belgian law aspects of a transaction involving the signing of an agreement on the sale of 100% of the shares in UNITANK to DIF’s Core Infrastructure Fund I and Aberdeen Standard Investments’ SL Capital Infrastructure II SCSp.

Astrea assisted Efico with respect to an amendment of its multicurrency facility agreement

19-07-2020

Dieter Veestraeten and his team assisted Efico, a company trading in green coffee and cocoa since 1926 with headquarters in Antwerp with respect to an amendment of its multicurrency facility agreement with a consortium of Belgian banks.

Assistance with respect to the refinancing of the real estate portfolio of Group Bernaerts

28-07-2020

Dieter Veestraeten and his team assisted Group Bernaerts, a family owned real estate group based in Antwerp, with respect to the refinancing of its real estate portfolio in Antwerp, Mechelen and Willebroek. The portfolio consists of office buildings, semi industrial buildings and logistic warehouses. Berry Westhoff, CFO of Group Bernaerts: “We have a longstanding strong […]

Assistance of Contraload founder and management with the sale to and reinvestment in Tosca

20-05-2020

Astrea advised the founder and management of Contraload, a Belgian leading load carrier pooling company, active in almost all countries in Europe, with the sale of their shares to and reinvestment in Tosca, an American supplier of reusable packaging and supply chain solutions, controlled by Apax Funds. The transaction was managed by Frédéric Verspreeuwen, Dieter […]

Regional and local taxes

We assist clients and handle procedures regarding regional and local taxes, regarding property, permits, empty and abandoned locations, etc.

Permits for windturbines

We assist clients regarding the procedures for permits for windturbines.

Sale of the last plot of land in Genk to the Flemish Region

We assisted FORD in the past and this year again for the last plot in the sale of the land of Ford Motor Company in Genk to the Flemish Region.

Large residential projects

Clients request assistance in completing their requests for permits for large, medium and/or small construction permits. We assist them during the procedure, often after objections from neighbours or when the city council does not grant the permit.

Astrea advised on belgian law aspects of Unitank sale to DIF and ASI

14-03-2020

Astrea partners Dieter Veestraeten and Steven De Schrijver have advised on the Belgian law aspects of a transaction involving the signing of an agreement on the sale of 100% of the shares in UNITANK to DIF’s Core Infrastructure Fund I and Aberdeen Standard Investments’ SL Capital Infrastructure II SCSp. You can read the full article […]

Dieter Veestraeten contributed the belgian chapter to the Legal 500: Lending & Secured Finance Country Comparative Guide

Astrea Banking & Finance Partner Dieter Veestraeten has contributed the Belgian Chapter to The Legal 500: Lending & Secured Finance Country Comparative Guide (2nd Edition). The Legal 500’s Country Comparative Guides give a practical overview of the laws and regulations across a variety of jurisdictions, for specific practice areas. The Lending & Secured Finance Country […]

Dieter Veestraeten contributed the belgian chapter to the International Comparative Legal Guide to Lending & Secured Finance 2020

08-04-2020

Astrea Banking & Finance Partner Dieter Veestraeten has contributed the Belgian Chapter 30 of the International Comparative Legal Guide (ICLG) to Lending & Secured Finance 2020 (8th edition). The ICLG to Lending & Secured Finance covers common issues in lending and secured finance laws and regulations – including guarantees, collateral security, financial assistance, syndicated lending/ […]