Latest news & developments
Tax Bites Podcast – DAC 7
In this episode, Pieter sits down with Niels D’Hondt and Jeroen Aerts to unpack the DAC 7 reporting obligation. Our specialists break down what platform operators need to know: who qualifies as a reporting platform operator, what information must be collected and reported, and the key deadlines to keep in mind. We discuss the practical challenges of
BIC Transition Impact: final opportunity to validate (late) December 2025 advance tax payments by 31 January 2026
Following a new public contract, BNP Paribas Fortis took over all federal government accounts from Bpost during the weekend of 13–14 December 2025. As a consequence: account numbers (IBAN) remain unchanged (identifiable by digits 679 in positions 5–7). as from 15 December 2025, international payments must use the new BIC: GEBABEBB. Impact on
Belgium publishes Public Country-by-Country Reporting form and definitive taxonomy
On 24 December 2025, the National Bank of Belgium (NBB) announced that the new definitive taxonomy including the Public Country-by-Country Reporting (pCbCR) model is accessible on the Central Balance Sheet Office’s website. This update follows the transposition of EU Directive 2021/2101 regarding pCbCR into Belgian law on 8 January 2024 and the Royal Decree on 18 June 2024. As a reminder, pCbCR obligations generally apply to
Benefits in Kind – New draft bill limits lumps-sum benefits in kind to 20% of gross wage
On 17 December 2025 (officially published on the Chamber’s website on 13 January 2026), the Belgian Government introduced a new draft bill to reform personal income tax. As part of these measures, the government aims to reduce the pressure on gross wages for employees and company directors by limiting the conversion of gross wages into
VAT exemption for financial intermediation: broader than you think
Versãofast (GC, 26 Nov 2025, T-657/24): a functional test. The recent Versãofast judgment (26 November 2025, General Court) clarifies the scope of the VAT exemption for credit intermediation. While the Court recalls that VAT exemptions must be interpreted strictly, it adopts a functional approach to “intermediation”, focusing on what the service enables rather than on
Pledged shares and the participation exemption — Antwerp Court confirms the common‑sense approach applied by the ruling commission
Based on a strict reading of the law, pledged shares are not taken into account to determine if a shareholder has sufficient participation to benefit from dividends received deduction and dividend withholding tax exemption. The administrative tolerance in this respect has recently been confirmed by the Court of Appeal of Antwerp. When a company takes out a loan to finance an acquisition, banks often require that (at least part of) the acquired shares are pledged as a collateral. Under Belgian tax law, pledged shares are not counted for
Flanders advances pay‑transparency transposition for the public sector
The Flemish Government approved a draft decree to partially implement the EU Pay Transparency Directive (EU 2023/970) for the Flemish public sector, taking effect on 7 June 2026. Scope Applies to Flemish services, local authorities, and educational institutions and their staff (public sector under Flemish jurisdiction). Right to information Employees may request written information on
Tax Bites Podcast – Inside the OECD Pillar 2 Side-by-Side package: Key features and insights
This podcast episode provides an overview of the Pillar 2 Side-by-Side agreement and its key features. We discuss the main points of the newly introduced safe harbors and highlight what listeners should watch for in the (near) future. Tune in for practical insights and essential takeaways on this important topic. Are you interested in learning more about the Side-by-Side package? Sign
