Regulatory

Liedekerke boasts an elite regulatory practice providing the highest level of advisory and litigation services to private and public sector clients. It covers all of Belgium’s federal and regional entities thanks to its truly culturally diverse, multilingual teams.

Our regulatory practitioners are experts in public institutions and services as well as in the various areas of economic regulation, assisting both private and public sector entities. We are particularly recognised for our skills in environmental, zoning and planning, energy and public procurement regulations.

Apart from our team’s autonomous expertise, our regulatory practitioners seamlessly join forces with the firm’s other practices especially on M&A and real estate transactions.

A variety of public entities (federal, local and independent authorities, public hospitals, etc.) and market regulators are amongst our clients.

Our Team

Our regulatory team comprises 17 lawyers, who combine theoretical excellence with practical knowledge. Many of our team members are regular contributors to professional seminars and publications and teach at universities. We offer a no-nonsense approach with quick, clear and practical solutions aimed at creating value for our clients.

Our approach combines profound insight into the different fields of law with a solid understanding of the general social and political environment.

Our team acts at every stage in project development and issue management. Its vast experience covers advisory and contractual issues, due diligence, dispute resolution (in the Constitutional Court, administrative jurisdictions [i.e. Council of State], civil and criminal courts), permit acquisition, lobbying support and crisis management services all across Belgium

Our Relevant Experience

• Assisting a supplier of software for innovative mobility concepts, as an intervening party in summary (urgent) proceedings and in the annulment procedure before the Council of State. obtaining a positive judgment that confirmed the legality of its approach, clarifying the reports between procurement law and GDPR law

• Assisting Nethys, a Belgian investment vehicle owned by municipalities, in the context of the competitive bidding process for the sale of 75 % of the VOO shares

• Advising Brussels Capital Region on high profile noise limitation case, defending the client in appeals against fines imposed on airlines that allegedly breach the regulations.

• Acted for Brussels Expo on a complex dispute relating to the termination of a PPP construction contract aimed at developing a 60,000 seat national football stadium.

• Acting on a variety of disputes pending with the new Flemish regional administrative jurisdiction (“Raad voor Vergunningsbetwistingen”) on issues implying restrictions of the powers of the federal Council of State.

• Challenging aspects of the implementation of the EU’s “Third Energy Package” into Belgian law.

• Assisting in a variety of litigious as well as non contentious public procurement and PPP issues.

• Maintaining a presence in the practice areas which are at the crossroads of constitutional (i.a. institutional), sector-specific regulatory and general practices (e.g. commercial and criminal law).

• assist Rocoluc, an operator of offline and online games of chance (casinobelgium.be), in a large number of strategic disputes about the regulatory framework of gambling in Belgium

“Top tier environmental law practice with enviable experience in permitting issues, pollution regulation enforcement and waste management. Advises major domestic players and public bodies on environmental, zoning and planning law aspects of development projects. Represents clients in high profile contentious matters, including around climate change regulations. Additionally provides extensive experience in high value disputes concerning domestic regulations on gambling and transportation, as well as concerning the differences between domestic and EU regulations. Mandated by major private companies in contentious and non contentious procurement law matters.”

“One client particularly notes: " We were pleased with the knowledge, high degree of expertise and technicality of the team, team," and further comments on the team's responsiveness saying: Everything came in due time and the service level is high”.

Chambers Europe, Public & Administrative Law, Planning & Environment 2022

“Leading domestic firm with coverage throughout each region of Belgium. A strong choice for public sector clients for administrative disputes, frequently acting for clients before the Constitutional Court. Maintains a strong focus on environmental and planning law, public procurement and PPP projects, advising on city centre redevelopments and initiatives in the energy sector. Also assists private clients with constitutional law and IT public procurements. Adroit in regulatory environment matters stretching from waste streams to construction permit matters, as well as zoning aspects.”

One source describes the team as " top of the market ," adding that the lawyers are very pragmatic and considered.“ A client praises the firm's very thorough understanding of the public laws, regulations and jurisprudence

Chambers Europe, Public & Administrative Law, Planning & Environment 2021