V V G B Advocaten-Avocats

The firm: VVGB was founded in 1996 by Edwin Vermulst and has grown from two partners to 20 lawyers. The firm has been consistently ranked top for international and EU trade law in all leading directories, and its partners are recognised as thought leaders. In addition, the firm has a leading corporate and corporate finance practice focused in particular on the biotech, hi-tech and consumer goods industries, as well as a top notch environment health and safety (EHS) risk regulation and litigation practice. Finally the firm is equally well recognised for its outstanding international and cross-border tax practice.

Areas of practice: VVGB advises on all aspects of EU and international trade law and has many years of experience with the EU institutions. Internationally recognised for its expertise in trade defence instruments, the firm has played a leading role in trade remedy investigations and has been involved in virtually all major EU cases, including, among other recent examples,including Optical Fibre Cables, PVA, Biodiesel, Solar Panels, Silicon Metal, Solar Glass, Filament Glass Fibers, as well as multiple steel cases, such as Corrosion Resistant Steels, Hot-Rolled Flat Products SSHR,SSCR, GOES, Ductile Cast Iron Tubes and Pipes and the EU safeguard proceedings on imports of steel.  VVGB also assists clients in third country trade defence cases; most recently, in the United Kingdom, Thailand, South Africa, Brazil, Colombia, India, Canada, the United States, China, Egypt and the Eurasian Economic Union. In addition, VVGB is also involved in other EU trade matters such as compliance and the EU’s negotiations of bilateral free trade and investment agreements.

In the field of WTO litigation, its partners have participated in numerous cases as members of delegations and have appeared before panels and the Appellate body. For example, VVGB represents the Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) of China in the AD/CVD on Wine (Australia) case. In the past, VVGB represented MOFCOM in the EU-Footwear and the EU-Renewable Energy Sector cases. VVGB also represented the Indonesian government in three WTO disputes concerning the EU’s cost adjustment practice in anti-dumping cases. One of the three disputes is the EU-Biodiesel from Indonesia case.

VVGB lawyers have also assisted DG TAXUD in WTO disputes regarding the Tariff Treatment of Certain Information Technology Products and the US challenge to the EU Customs Union and advised another WTO member in Large Civil Aircraft. The practice also advises governments and industries on potential WTO issues ranging from marketing bans on chemical products to climate change initiatives, rules’ negotiations, subsidies, agriculture and REACH

Apart from EU trade law, VVGB is highly acclaimed for its advice on EU customs law, including classification and compliance, valuation, rules of origin, and REM/REC. Similarly, the firm has advised on regulatory matters, such as the compatibility of EU domestic regulation with international trade obligations, and here it has special expertise in the intersection of intellectual property rights, competition law, EHS risk regulation and trade law. Finally, VVGB has extended its expertise in international arbitration and investment, including arbitral disputes between investors and states.

Next to its international and trade practice, the firm has a leading practice in the fields of EU regulatory law; competition law; and corporate, corporate finance, tax and contract law for the biotech, hi-tech and consumer goods industries. The firm has been and still is lead counsel to almost all (privately held and publicly listed) successful biotech companies in the Low Countries and a series of successful hi-tech and consumer goods companies.

In the EHS risk regulation and litigation practice, VVGB advises and represents clients in route to market strategies, compliance and enforcement issues, legal disputes (including ECHA-procedures, EU or domestic litigation) or legislative advocacy projects. The firm has particular expertise in agrochemicals (pesticides, fertilizers), biocides (BPR) and REACH/CLP cases (registration, compliance checks, substance evaluation and classification, RMOAs, etc) and other EU chemical control regulation (ROHS/WEEE, medical devices, food contact materials, packaging, waste and other regulated products, processes and circular economy matters etc). VVGB is known for successful handling of data sharing negotiations and efficient consortium (task force) counselling and management. The firm also has a particular high-end experience in the various areas of EU food law (including novel foods, additives, supplements, health/ nutrition claims and animal feed legislation.

VVGB’s EU competition and State aid team has extensive knowledge and experience in all aspects of EU and national competition law, ranging from cartels and abuse of dominance to merger clearance and State aid. We have developed a thorough understanding of the workings of the European Commission and the Belgian and Dutch competition authorities, enhanced through high-level contacts. In addition, we have a rich competition litigation practice with lawyers who frequently appear before the European and national courts.

VVGB's Corporate practice is composed of lawyers who are recognized as being among the very best in their field and who benefit from a reputation of excellence in particular in M&A and private equity transactions. The practice group also has extensive expertise in cross-border joint ventures, corporate restructurings, project finance and capital markets work, including IPO, privatization and securitization work. It has a particularly strong expertise in investment structuring and company restructurings, including from a tax optimization perspective. The corporate team advises and provides  assistance with respect to national and cross-border corporate restructurings (mergers, split-ups, spin-offs, etc.); all types of equity or debt offerings and transactions (IPO’s, secondary issuances, share repurchases, capital increases or decreases, issuance of warrants, bonds and convertible bonds, etc); and company secretarial services (holding of annual general meetings, appointment of directors, etc.)