Welcome To ICC Belgium
Welcome to ICC Belgium, the Brussels-based committee of the International Chamber of Commerce since 1920. Indeed, ICC is The #1 World Business Organization representing over 6.5 million companies from more than 130 countries (companies, associations and individuals).
ICC is – and has been throughout its long existence – a steadfast rallying point for those who believe, like our founders, that strengthening commercial ties among nations is not only good for business but good for global living standards and good for peace.
Who Is ICC Belgium
National committees, like the Brussels-based ICC Belgium, form the global network that makes ICC unique among business organizations. ICC members shape the organization’s policies and, through their national committees, alert their governments to international business concerns.
Generally, everything ICC does is devoted to promoting international trade and investment. Indeed, much of our work is of a very practical nature, focussed on making it easier for business to operate internationally. Our world-renowned commercial arbitration service is a form of impartial and dependable private justice that gives more security to commercial partners doing business across frontiers.
Drawing on the expertise and experience of its worldwide membership, ICC has also over time developed a large array of voluntary rules, guidelines, and codes – sometimes referred to as ‘trade tools’ – which facilitate cross-border transactions and help spread best practice among companies.
In 1919, a handful of entrepreneurs decided to create an organization that would represent business everywhere. The group of industrialists, financiers and traders were determined to bring economic prosperity to a world that was still reeling from the devastation of World War I. They founded the International Chamber of Commerce and called themselves “the merchants of peace”.
ICC has remained a diligent advocate of the open multilateral trading system through successive trade rounds, including the Doha Round. As ICC membership included more and more countries in the developing world, the organization stepped up demands for the opening of world markets to their products, especially agriculture.
Today, the ICC commissions comprising experts from the private sector cover specialized fields of immediate concern to international business. Subjects range from banking techniques to taxation, from competition law to intellectual property rights, telecommunications and information technology, from transport, environment and energy to international investment and trade policy.
All these activities fulfil the pledge in ICC’s constitution “to further the development of an open world economy with the firm conviction that international commercial exchanges are conducive to both greater global prosperity and peace among nations.”
This is why the logical and strong partnership of ICC in Belgium with the Federation of Enterprises in Belgium – FEB-VBO, with the umbrella organisation for all chambers of commerce in Belgium – Belgian Chambers, and with the Belgian Centre for Arbitration and Mediation – CEPANI, has been formalised in 2007 by the creation of a ‘Non Profit Organization ICC Belgium’ – ICC Belgique ASBL & ICC Belgique VZW – and the recognition of each organisation as a founding member of the newly created legal entity of ICC Belgium.
The Chairman of ICC Belgium is Vincent Reuter, Board member of CREDENDO.
Honorary Chairmen include Rudi Thomaes, who led the Federation of Enterprises in Belgium eight years, from June 2004 and Paul Buysse, the main author of the Belgian Code for Corporate Governance (Code Buysse).
The Secretary General is, since January 2021, Julie Deré.
Honorary Secretaries General include Tony Vandeputte, who led the Federation of Enterprises in Belgium during fourteen years, from 1990 and Guy Keutgen, Honorary Director-Secretary General of the Federation of Enterprises in Belgium.
The members of the Board of Director are:
- Veerle Baele, Manager GTS Service Centre, Corporate & Public Banking Belgium – BNP PARIBAS FORTIS
- Karel Baert, CEO – FEBELFIN-BELGISCHE FINANCIELE SECTOR
- Alexis Brouhns, Region General Manager Europe – SOLVAY
- Frédéric de Schrevel, Secretary General – BESIX
- Patrick De Wolf, Managing Partner – DALDEWOLF
- Bert Gevers, Partner – LOYENS & LOEFF
- Benoît Kohl, Of Counsel – STIBBE
- Philippe Lambrecht, Special Adviser to the CEO – VBO-FEB
- Didier Matray, Partner – MATRAY MATRAY & HALLET
- Jean-François Tossens, Partner – TG LAW SC sfd SPRL
- Mireille Troosters, Risk Manager Working Capital Solutions – KBC BANK
- Wouter Van Gulck, General Manager – FEDERATION OF BELGIAN CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE
- Sofie Verlinden, Head of legal – DEME NV
- Sabien Vermeulen, Chief Legal Ethics & Compliance Officer – TRACTEBEL ENGINEERING
- Yves Verschueren, Gedelegeerd bestuurder – ESSENSCIA
Our Best Skills
Meet Our Team
Former Managing Director of Union Wallonne des entreprises
