Circular letter on new Belgian capital gains tax on financial assets: welcome clarifications for private equity
On 22 July 2026, the Belgian tax authorities published Circular 2026/C/74 providing detailed guidance on the new capital gains tax on financial assets. The tax applies within the personal income tax framework (not corporate tax or non-resident tax) and is effective from 1 January 2026. It targets gains realised outside any professional activity, within normal management of
Circular letter on New Belgian capital gains tax on financial assets
What does this mean for individuals from a personal income tax perspective? Circular 2026/C/74 | Published 22 July 2026 On 22 July 2026, the Belgian tax authorities published Circular 2026/C/74 providing detailed guidance on the new capital gains tax on financial assets, introduced by the Law of 6 April 2026. The tax applies within the personal income
Belgium moves towards electronic real time reporting of invoice data – key takeaways for businesses
Belgium is taking a further step in the digitalization of its VAT system. On 18 July 2026, the Belgian Council of Ministers approved a preliminary draft law introducing an obligation to electronically report invoice data to the Belgian VAT administration. This builds on the mandatory structured B2B e-invoicing regime in force since 1 January 2026 and signals
European Commission delivers its simplification review – The rules are set, now prepare
On 4 May 2026, the EU Commission published its simplification review of the EU Deforestation Regulation, together with a draft Delegated Act on product scope and updated FAQs (Version 5). The review refines the product scope through a draft Delegated Act. Soluble coffee, certain palm oil derivatives and frozen cattle tongues are proposed for inclusion, while leather
Tax audits are picking up – But the wave is over
The era of the large-scale tax audit “wave” in February is over. Tax audits in Belgium are increasingly spread throughout the year, and they are becoming more targeted, data-driven and multidisciplinary. Here’s what you need to know. What’s behind the yearly uptick? The Belgian Tax Authorities (BTA) have moved away from the traditional model of launching large-scale, sometimes announced, thematic audit campaigns – including in transfer pricing (TP). February and March do, however, typically still bring a visible uptick in
EUDR Newsflash: Compliance will be won or lost at the border
The recent EU vote, held just before the winter holidays and only days before the original go-live date, has resulted in a further 12-month deferral and a significant refocus for EUDR compliance. The border is now the central control point, placing importers firmly in the spotlight. The core objective of the law has not changed
Simplified side stream mergers – new law clears hurdles for ‘real’ tax neutrality
On 16 June 2023, the ‘simplified side stream merger’ (vereenvoudigde zusterfusie / fusion simplifiée entre soeurs) was introduced in the Code of Companies and Associations and in the Income Tax Code. However, even in case all conditions were fulfilled, the transaction could not entirely take place tax neutrally due to ‘imperfections’ in the corporate income
Tax Bites Podcast – Navigating shifts in global tax policy: Implications for businesses
In this after‑event podcast we discuss the origin of our international tax webinar series and distill the key takeaways of the last edition (23 – 25 September 2025). We highlight, and reflect on, recent developments such as the G7 side‑by‑side approach, the EU’s long‑term budget and own resources, EU‑US trade negotiations, the UN meetings on
