From 20 November 2026, new EU consumer credit rules apply in Belgium: buy now pay later and small loans covered, verified creditworthiness, human review, no lending to minors.
Belgian banker’s oath: front-line staff and agents now swear too
Since 15 July 2026 the Belgian banker's oath applies to all bank staff and agents. Who is covered, how to take the oath before 15 January 2027, which rules of conduct, the FSMA disciplinary regime, and what the law leaves open.
Payment fraud, phishing and the “refund first” rule: what CJEU judgment C-70/25 really changes before Belgian courts
The Court of Justice has ruled that a customer's gross negligence does not allow the bank to refuse the immediate refund of an unauthorised payment transaction. For Belgian litigation, the real issues now lie in the qualification of the transaction and in procedure.
Payment fraud: are social media platforms and telecom operators liable?
The PSR requires telecom operators and very large platforms to fight spoofing and fake financial ads. It does not make them liable to victims. General law takes over, and banks' notices become evidence.
IBAN check: confirm despite the warning, and the loss is yours
The IBAN check (verification of payee) has been mandatory in the euro area since 9 October 2025. It is not a firewall but a liability trigger: everything turns on proving that the bank offered the service correctly.
Payment Fraud: The PSR’s Layered Liability
The PSR drops PSD2's binary authorised / unauthorised model. An authorised payment may remain refundable: impersonation of the bank, failed verification of payee, failed transaction monitoring. What this changes for phishing litigation.
Bank credit and suretyship in Belgium: granting, termination, early repayment and guarantees
Updated on 18 October 2026. A loan is negotiated, repaid and sometimes terminated. Around it sit guarantees: a surety, a bank guarantee, a letter of comfort. Each step has its own rules, which differ depending on whether the borrower is a consumer, an SME or a large company. This guide sets out Belgian law on... Continue Reading →
Bank account closure in Belgium: can the bank close your account, and what can you do?
Updated on 18 October 2026. The letter is usually short: the bank announces that it is ending the relationship, sets a closing date and asks for the details of another account. No reason is given. The client then wonders whether the bank is allowed to do this, whether it can be challenged and how to... Continue Reading →
Belgian Council of State annuls a Treasury refusal to release assets held with Euroclear
On 11 September 2026, the Belgian Council of State annulled a decision of the General Administration of the Treasury refusing to release assets held with Euroclear. The judgment concerns the way the Treasury has been deciding applications for authorisations and derogations under EU restrictive measures, and its interest lies there rather than in the case... Continue Reading →
Russian assets at Euroclear: immobilised, not confiscated
Euroclear, in Brussels, holds most of the Central Bank of Russia's assets immobilised in the Union. Since 2022, these assets have fuelled a political and legal debate: can they be used for Ukraine, and how far? Here is where things stand in September 2026. Key points The Central Bank of Russia's assets are immobilised, not... Continue Reading →
Unfair Terms and Transparency: No Nullity Without a Manifest Imbalance (Belgian Cassation, 29 January 2026)
Is an opaque banking clause unfair — and therefore void — for that reason alone? The Belgian Court of Cassation answered no in a judgment of 29 January 2026, setting aside a much-noticed ruling of the Antwerp Court of Appeal. A lack of transparency feeds into the assessment, but it does not relieve the court... Continue Reading →
Asset freeze: the 50% rule and control of a non-listed company
A company is not on the sanctions list, but its shareholder is. Should its accounts be frozen? For a bank, the question arises every day, and the EU Regulation answers it with two notions: ownership and control. Key points The freeze covers funds belonging to a listed person, but also those it owns, holds or... Continue Reading →
Russia sanctions: is the parent company answerable for its non-EU subsidiary?
EU sanctions apply within the Union and to EU nationals and companies. A subsidiary established in Dubai, Istanbul or Almaty is not, as such, bound by them. Since 2024, however, its EU parent company must do "its best" to ensure that it does not undermine the sanctions against Russia. Key points The "best efforts" obligation... Continue Reading →
EU sanctions: how many delisting actions succeed?
A person on an EU sanctions list can ask the General Court of the European Union to annul the listing (see how to challenge a listing). How many succeed? No official statistic says. The figures available nonetheless give a fair picture, and explain why an annulment does not always mean leaving the list. Key points... Continue Reading →
The Bank Is Not an Automatic Insurer Against Phishing
The Court of Cassation clarifies the notion of gross negligence, without turning the bank into an automatic insurer against phishing. By a judgment of 29 June 2026, the Belgian Court of Cassation clarified the notion of gross negligence in phishing fraud. The decision clarifies the criteria that apply when a bank intends to leave the... Continue Reading →
EU Sanctions: Challenging a Listing (Delisting) and What It Means for Banks
Being placed on an EU sanctions list has immediate and severe consequences: frozen assets, a ban on making funds available, blocked payments and reputational damage. These measures weigh first on the designated person, but also on the banks that must give effect to them. What many listed persons and entities do not realise is that... Continue Reading →
Banking Phishing: Is the Bank the Temporary Financier of Uncertainty?
The Antwerp Order of 26 May 2026 requires a bank to reimburse immediately a customer who has fallen victim to banking phishing. But what does it really say, and what should financial institutions take away from it?
Frozen assets: what the Belgian Treasury can authorise (rent, legal fees, taxes)
Being on the EU sanctions list against Russia does not make the bills disappear. Rent, taxes and lawyers still have to be paid. A freeze is not a confiscation: the Regulation provides for derogations, which the national authority may grant case by case. In Belgium, the Treasury decides. Key points Frozen funds stay frozen. A... Continue Reading →
Personal guarantees in Belgium: the guarantor gets its own book in the Civil Code
Since 1 January 2026, Book 9 of the Belgian Civil Code governs suretyship, autonomous guarantees, letters of comfort and real suretyship. What changes for guarantors and banks.
Bank transfers for investment purposes: no duty to warn (French Supreme Court, 25 March 2026)
The French Supreme Court confirms that when executing a transfer, a bank acts as a payment service provider and has no duty to advise or warn on investment risks. The bank’s role is limited to detecting apparent anomalies.
