Representatives from all the member firms meet semi-annually to discuss matters concerning the ELG network. Recently meetings have been held in Valletta and Malmö.
Within the ELG there are also a number of specialist sub-groups, some convening regularly, others on a more ad hoc basis. Active sub-groups include Intellectual Property/E-Commerce, Mergers and Acquisitions, Taxation, Employment, and Distribution.
Every once in a while the ELG arranges seminars covering one or more current issues in the member states. Examples of such events were seminars held in Trento, Italy. Other special events include M&A workshops for younger ELG lawyers, two of which have been held in recent years, in London and Paris respectively.
Minority shareholders in Dutch private companies (besloten vennootschappen, or B.V.’s) regularly ask whether they have a right to information from the company’s management board. This question often arises in situations where a majority shareholder also serves as the company’s director, creating potential information asymmetries. The statutory framework Under Dutch law, the management board is obligated…
Online sales continue to grow exponentially across Europe. Increasingly, producers and suppliers include provisions in their distribution agreements restricting distributors to selling products only through pre-approved channels. This practice is known as selective distribution. Suppliers implement these restrictions to safeguard product quality and brand image. While selective distribution is permitted under certain conditions, producers and…
Fundamental Principles and Connectivity “Once Only” Principle: This will apply to the formation of cross-border subsidiaries and branches. The destination registry obtains the necessary information directly from the source registry through the BRIS system. The destination registry transfers this information to the notary involved in the company formation. Interconnection of Systems: The connection between three…
Stocks, crypto, life insurance… The Belgian tax authorities are ending decades of exemption. Overview of a major tax reform that will come into force retroactively on January 1, 2026. Filed in the Chamber on December 17, 2025, the draft law is shaking up Belgian wealth taxation. From now on, selling your shares at a profit…
Happy New Year! In the first newsletter of the year, we have compiled some of the Swedish Supreme Court rulings from the past year that have attracted particular interest. Happy reading! PERSONAL LIABILITY OF DE FACTO REPRESENTATIVES CASHCOM On 15 May 2025, the Supreme Court delivered its judgment in the so-called CashCom case (HD…
The Netherlands is one of the most accessible procurement markets in Europe. Each year, thousands of tenders are published on the Dutch procurement platform TenderNed, ranging from complex construction, infrastructure and engineering projects to large IT and SaaS contracts. This market attracts an increasing number of foreign companies, partly because the Netherlands strictly applies European…
Hosted by Paulhan & Associés The European Law Group recently held its Semi-Annual Meeting in Paris from 27–29 November 2025, bringing together members from across Europe for three days of discussion, collaboration, and shared experiences. Hosted by Paulhan & Associés, the meeting combined productive professional exchange with valuable informal networking. The gathering opened on Thursday evening with…
On Foreign Actors’ access to Public Procurement TRADE BARRIERS BEYOND TARIFFS Trade barriers extend far beyond customs duties. They include any measure used to restrict trade between countries. Access to public procurement markets is a key component of global commerce. When countries introduce discriminatory procurement rules, they effectively limit foreign companies’ ability to compete…
Spain Introduces Mandatory Pre-Action ADR for Most Civil and Commercial Claims Since April 4th 2025, Spain joined the growing list of EU jurisdictions (including France, Italy, Belgium, amongst others) that require a genuine attempt at out-of-court resolution before filing most types of civil and commercial lawsuits. The new regime, introduced by Organic Law 1/2025, of…
Terminating a Company with an Empty Balance Sheet in the Netherlands: Turbo Liquidation as an option In the Netherlands, there are various ways to terminate a company with an empty balance sheet. The so-called “ turbo liquidation” is one of them. This involves a company ceasing to exist immediately upon dissolution when there are no…
