On 30 April 2019, the Royal Decree of 29 April 2019 implementing the Companies and Associations Code was published in the Belgian Official Gazette.
The new code, composed of 9 books and written in the spirit of simplifying the corporate landscape, came into force on 1 May 2019 and applies immediately to new legal entities from that date.
For existing legal entities, a transition period has been set up. Except in the case where legal entities have decided to comply with the Code before (opt-in), the Companies and Associations Code will apply from 1 January 2020 as regards mandatory provisions. For the rest, legal entities will have until 1 January 2024 to adapt their articles of association to the new standards, if necessary by transforming them into a new form.
Please find the French text of the Law of 23 March 2019 and the Royal Decree of 29 April 2019 via the following links:
– http://www.ejustice.just.fgov.be/eli/arrete/2019/04/29/2019011967/moniteur
– http://www.ejustice.just.fgov.be/eli/loi/2019/03/23/2019040586/moniteur