Doing Business In: VVGB – an independent international law firm based in Brussels

VVGB is an independent international law firm based in Brussels, specialising in EU, international and Belgian law, with a particular focus on international trade and investment. The firm advises a broad range of clients, comprising of multinational corporations, industry associations and sovereign governments – combining technical excellence with extensive institutional experience gained before the EU institutions, the GATT/WTO in Geneva, the PCA in The Hague and the ICSID in Washington DC.

Operating at the centre of EU decision-making, VVGB offers strategic, commercially-focused advice across the full spectrum of trade-related matters, supported by a global network of experts, and a team that has worked together for many years and spares no effort in obtaining the best results for our clients.

The firm plays a leading role in EU trade remedies investigations. It regularly acts in complex, high-profile proceedings across a range of sectors, including steel, chemicals, renewable energy and advanced manufacturing. Recent work includes investigations concerning Battery Electric Vehicles, Tyres, Epoxy Resins, Cold-rolled Flat Steel, Optical Fibre Cables, Polyvinyl Alcohol, Mobile Access Equipment, Softwood Plywood, Titanium Dioxide, Biodiesel, Solar Panels, Silicon Metal and Filament Glass Fibres. The firm has also been active across the successive review rounds of the EU steel safeguards. VVGB also assists clients in third-country proceedings, with recent experience in the United Kingdom, the United States, India, Brazil, China, South Africa, Egypt and the Eurasian Economic Union.

This is complemented by a strong and active WTO practice. VVGB currently represents China in EU – Definitive CVDs on BEVs (China). Recently, the firm obtained a favourable result for Indonesia in the historic case of EU – CVD/AD on SSCRFP (Indonesia), where the issue of so-called ‘transnational subsidies’ was first litigated. Earlier representations include MOFCOM in China – AD/CVD on Wine (Australia), EU – Footwear (China) and EU – Renewable Energy Sector cases, as well as the Indonesian government in three disputes concerning the EU’s cost adjustment methodology in anti-dumping proceedings, including EU – Biodiesel (Indonesia). VVGB lawyers have also assisted DG TAXUD in disputes on the tariff treatment of information technology products and the US challenge to the EU Customs Union, and advised a WTO member in the Large Civil Aircraft cases. The firm also advises governments and industries on potential WTO issues, ranging from subsidies, agriculture and rules’ negotiations to marketing bans on chemical products, climate change initiatives and REACH.

In parallel, VVGB maintains a significant litigation practice before the EU courts, representing clients in challenges to EU trade measures and related regulatory acts. Recent cases include BYD v Commission, STL v Commission, and Ereğli Demir v Commission. VVGB recently obtained a favourable result in the case Çolakoğlu v Commission, a significant ruling as regards EU anti-circumvention rules.

Beyond trade defence and disputes, VVGB is highly regarded for its advice on EU customs law, including customs classification and compliance, valuation, rules of origin, and REM/REC, both at the EU and the Member State level, including a major REM/REC case for over 25 leading footwear brands.

The firm is also increasingly active in advising on the EU’s rapidly evolving regulatory framework affecting trade, including the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism, the Foreign Subsidies Regulation, the Net Zero Industry Act, the Deforestation Regulation, the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive, and FDI screening.

VVGB also advises on the compatibility of domestic regulation with the EU’s international trade obligations, and has been actively involved in the negotiation of bilateral free trade and investment agreements with Thailand, Korea, Canada and Japan.

The firm’s lawyers also advise governments and corporations on trade, intellectual property and investment matters arising beyond the EU, including measures maintained by Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, Peru, Russia, Egypt, South Africa and Türkiye.