Blended finance gains momentum in Belgian market
Belgium’s impact investing sector has plenty of untapped potential, says Pierre Harkay, CEO of Impact Finance Belgium.
Former Belgian PM Leterme questions NATO’s 5% defense push
Just two weeks ahead of the NATO summit in The Hague, former Belgian Prime Minister Yves Leterme has sharply criticized the alliance’s proposed five-percent-of-GDP defense target, calling it a “collective irrationality” that risks overwhelming European decision-making.
ABN Amro doubles private banking threshold in the Netherlands, repositions in Belgium
ABN Amro is raising the entry threshold for private banking in the Netherlands from 500,000 to 1 million euros as of 1 June. In Belgium, the Dutch bank is rebranding its private banking arm under the MeesPierson label, part of a broader ambition to become a top-three player in the four countries where it offers wealth services: the Netherlands, Belgium, France, and Germany.
LLJ: Belgian investors can finally reclaim French dividend taxes
A new spring brings new developments regarding the reclaiming of the flat-rate foreign tax credit (FBB) on French dividends.
UCI tax: Ghent court provides relief for Luxembourg funds
The Belgian UCI tax on Luxembourg funds remains a longstanding point of contention between the two countries. However, a recent ruling by the Ghent Court of Appeal has delivered significant legal and tax advantages for Luxembourg Sicavs.
MeDirect may fall into the hands of Czech billionaire
Czech Banka Creditas has made a binding takeover bid for the Maltese group over online bank MeDirect. Behind Banka Creditas is relatively unknown billionaire Pavel Hubáček.
Belgian banks brace for €22 bln bond bonanza
The largest maturity date in Belgium’s financial history. That is how Peter Adams, CEO of ING Belgium, describes today’s expiry of the much-debated one-year state note, on 4 September.
BPCE to acquire Belgian bank Nagelmackers
Nagelmackers, Belgium’s oldest bank, is set to be acquired by La Caisse d’Epargne Hauts de France, a regional bank under the umbrella of the French banking group BPCE.
Luxembourg Ucits now dominant in Belgium
Luxembourg-domiciled Ucits investment funds for retail investors have become the most widely used funds in the Belgian market, the head of Belgian asset management association Beama said on Wednesday.
Antwerp asset manager Merit loses brokerage licence
Antwerp-based asset manager Merit Capital will lose its Belgian brokerage licence, according to a judgement by Belgium’s Council of State published on 26 April. Merit Capital has been struggling for years with its governance model and profitability. Having its license revoked casts a cloud over its arrangement with Frankfurt-based Renell Bank, which announced in October it had agreed to acquire Merit subject to conditions.