Breakfast-Conference New companies and associations Code – It’s getting real!

On May 9^th , the Official Spanish Chamber of Commerce in Belgium and Luxembourg, in collaboration with its member KOAN Law Firm, organized a breakfast-conference about: “New companies and associations Code- It’s getting real!”. The speakers of the conference were Antoine Druetz (Partner) and Alix Degrez (Associate) from KOAN. The event gathered representatives of different companies and associations, members of the Chamber and representatives of Spanish public bodies.

The conference was focused on the law of March 23, 2019 introducing the New Companies and Associations Code (CAC), which contains various provisions. It is applicable since the 1^st May for the newly incorporated associations and foundations, whereas in the case of the existing associations and foundations the deadline to make their Articles of Associations (AoA) compliant with the CAC will be January 1^st, 2024. However, as of January 1, 2020, the application of the mandatory rules and, where appropriate, the residual rules of the CAC will begin.

This new Code has a wide importance within the Belgian business landscape, because amongst other things, it is a reform of the Act of 27 June 1921 on non-profit associations, international non-profit associations and foundations.

Both speakers presented the main novelties that have been introduced by the new code, which lead to important changes related to commercial activities, new liability regime, restructuration and transformations and governance rules (articles of association). Both Antoine Druetz and Alix Degrez gave details about the new rules and principles established by this code and that will affect to the Belgian Companies and Associations.

Among the most important modifications that are implemented it is worth noting those that will develop the current doctrinal principles and rules, to fill in the gaps of the law, as well as the global harmonization of companies, non- profit organizations, international non-profit organizations and foundations.

In this way, the attendees had the chance to get in touch deeply with the new provisions of the Code. The importance of the topic raised many questions among the attendees to the breakfast-conference. Druetz and Degrez cleared up all the doubts of the attendees who wanted to obtain more information about the various situations previously exposed in the conference.

Definitely, the event organized with our member KOAN Law Firm helped to understand much better the regulations of this new code, which undoubtedly will play an important role in Belgium these following years.