Transactions Blog

2008-2009 were challenging times for the M&A market due to the lack of available funding. Many investors and international groups are looking for cost-cutting opportunities and cash optimization.

Reshaping your conventional business model towards a more flexible structure can help you in for example the improvement of your business model, tax credits optimisation and/or cash optimisation.

Furthermore, the new merger law makes it possible in Europe for certain international groups to offset future tax losses and other tax attributes on a European consolidated level, leading to a lower effective tax rate, realising tax cash savings.

European mergers can also facilitate quoted companies to distribute dividends to the shareholders in an easier and quicker way.

2010 will be a challenging year. Make sure your group and business structure is up to speed to tackle this challenge!

Cross-border reorganisations: implementation of EUMerger Directive into Belgian tax law

On 12 January 2009, the act implementing the EU Merger Directive into Belgian tax law was published in the Belgian official gazette. Most of the new act’s provisions are applicable immediately as of its date of publication. The act introduces a tax-neutral regime for cross-border reorganisations and also brings the existing tax provisions applicable to purely Belgian reorganisations in line with the EU Merger Directive.
The purpose of this newsletter is to comment on the changes made by the new act and give you an insight into the opportunities now available to your organisation in respect of cross-border mergers.

Read the full Transactions newsalert (pdf)