Answer ... In 2015 the College of Public Prosecutors took steps to increase the focus on the fight against corruption through, among other things, the issuance of a circular that seeks to make the prosecution of corruption a priority. In addition, in 2017 the Belgian government affirmed its intention to increase the number of specialised investigators and prosecutors with a view to combating economic and financial crime, including corruption. We note in our practice an increase in the prosecution of corruption cases, although no objective data to verify this is publicly available. We expect this trend to accelerate in the future.

From a legislative perspective, it is also possible that the Belgian government may soon reflect on the need to adopt anti-corruption regulatory (and preventive) legislation similar to the Sapin II Act France.