M&A in Belgium

Investors, lawyers and corporate counsel with existing or potential ties to Belgian business have here the ideal M&A guide: concise but not superficial, practical but fully alert to the hidden dangers lurking in the interstices of applicable law. A notable feature is the emphasis on particular Belgian practice in such specific areas as representations and warranties, purchasers' and sellers' protection.

M & A in Belgium deals with all the elements of a merger acquisition or a joint venture transaction--shareholders' rights, compliance with foreign investment regulations and competition law, structuring, due diligence, financing, transfer formalities, documentation, and taxation.

The authors pay close attention to the relevant demands of labour law and environmental law, and offer especially valuable guidance in helping the practitioner to recognize the environmental `red flags' that can make or break a deal. Whether the contemplated merger or acquisition is pure share, share-share, asset-share, or pure asset, private or public, friendly or hostile, this book provides the exact procedural details that add up to a successful deal. And should something go wrong, the coverage of suspension, sanctions, and judicial review under Belgian law will be extremely useful in ensuring the best possible, least burdensome outcome.

The treatment of the subject throughout is straightforward and ready to apply. As any M&A transaction involving Belgian business unfolds, this book will prove itself a consistently informative and helpful resource.

1. Introduction
2. Basic Legal Concepts
3. Exchange Control, Supervision, Notifications and Consents
4. Methods of Acquisition
5. Negotiated Acquisition
6. Financing the Acquisition
7. Forced Transfer of Shares
8. Public Takeover Bids and Change of Control
9. Mergers
10. Joint Ventures
11. Taxation
12. Labour Law Issues Concerning Acquisitions
13. Environmental Issues
14. Mergers and Acquisitions of Shareholdings in Belgian Competition Law. Annex