Franchise Agreement in Belgium: Template, Key Clauses and Local Law (2026)

Franchising in Belgium is not governed by a single franchise law, but it is shaped by one rule you cannot skip: mandatory pre-contractual disclosure. Miss it and the franchisee can have clauses, or even the whole contract, declared void. This guide explains the disclosure regime, the clauses a franchise agreement needs, and a working skeleton. It is general information, not legal advice; confirm a live deal with a Belgian lawyer. ## Is there a franchise law in Belgium? There is no dedicated franchise statute. Instead, Belgium regulates the pre-contractual stage of "commercial cooperation agreements" (which include franchising) in Book X, Title 2 of the Code of Economic Law (Wetboek van economisch recht / Code de droit economique). These rules descend from the Law of 19 December 2005 on pre-contractual information. The contract itself is then governed by general contract law in Book 5 of the new Belgian Civil Code (in force since 1 January 2023), plus competition law and intellectual property law. A new act adopted in February 2024 updated what the disclosure document must contain. It applies to new agreements, and to amendments and renewals of existing ones, from 1 September 2024. If you are drafting now, use the updated requirements. ## The pre-contractual disclosure duty (the rule you cannot skip) Before a franchise (commercial cooperation) agreement is signed, the franchisor must give the prospective franchisee two things at least one month before signing: 1. A draft of the agreement itself. 2. A pre-contractual information document (PID) setting out the key contractual provisions and important data about the network and the market, so the franchisee can make an informed decision. The PID typically covers the parties and the network, the main terms of the agreement (fees, exclusivity, term, renewal, termination, non-compete), how the relationship can end, and economic and market information. During that one-month cooling-off window, the franchisor cannot ask for any commitment or payment. The sanction is strict. If the franchisor fails to provide the document or the waiting period, the franchisee can seek nullity of the agreement, or of the specific clauses that were not properly disclosed, generally within a limited period after signing. This is why disclosure is the first thing to get right. ## Key clauses in a Belgian franchise agreement Once disclosure is handled, the agreement itself should cover: ### Grant of rights The franchise concept, the licence to use the brand, trademarks, know-how and system, the territory, and whether it is exclusive. ### Fees The initial franchise fee, ongoing royalties, marketing or advertising fund contributions, and how each is calculated and paid. ### The franchisor's obligations Training, the operations manual, ongoing support, supply arrangements, and protection of the brand and system. ### The franchisee's obligations Operating to the system standards, following the manual, meeting quality and reporting requirements, and respecting the brand. ### Intellectual property That the brand, trademarks and know-how remain the franchisor's, the limited licence granted, and what happens to them on termination. ### Term, renewal and termination The length, renewal conditions, grounds for termination, notice, and the consequences of ending, including de-identification (removing signage and branding) and stock. ### Non-compete and confidentiality Restrictions during and after the agreement. Post-term non-competes must be reasonable in scope, duration and geography and are also tested against EU and Belgian competition law, so keep them tight. ### Data protection Where customer personal data is shared or processed, address the GDPR and the Belgian Data Protection Act of 30 July 2018. ### Governing law and disputes Belgian law and a chosen court or arbitration. ## A simple drafting skeleton 1. Pre-contractual steps: deliver draft + PID one month before signing (keep proof) 2. Parties and recitals 3. Definitions (system, territory, marks, know-how) 4. Grant of franchise and territory 5. Term and renewal 6. Fees: initial, royalties, marketing fund 7. Franchisor obligations (training, manual, support, supply) 8. Franchisee obligations (standards, reporting, quality) 9. Intellectual property and brand use 10. Confidentiality 11. Non-compete (during and post-term, competition-law compliant) 12. Data protection 13. Termination and consequences (de-identification, stock, hand-back) 14. Liability and indemnities 15. Governing law (Belgian) and dispute resolution 16. Signatures and PID acknowledgement The single most important discipline is proving you delivered the draft and PID on time. Keep dated records. ## Where this differs by jurisdiction Franchise law varies widely. Belgium regulates pre-contractual disclosure but not the franchise contract itself. France has its own disclosure rule (the Loi Doubin) with a 20-day window. The United States layers a federal FTC Franchise Rule over state registration regimes. Others, like the United Kingdom, rely largely on self-regulation and general law. A Belgian franchise pack will not satisfy French or US disclosure rules, so localise before you expand. ## Keeping a franchise network's contracts under control A franchisor rarely manages one agreement. There are many franchisees, each with its own PID, signing date, renewal and territory, plus amendments over time. The manual work (drafting from a tuned template, proving disclosure was timely, flagging risky clauses, tracking renewals and keeping versions straight) is what an AI contract workspace can hold in one place. Adira is built for this, with per-clause risk review, plain-English clause editing and a live activity timeline; it is India-first today with other jurisdictions on its roadmap, so verify local depth before relying on it for Belgian law. More at Adira. The guidance above stands on its own. ## Bottom line In Belgium, the franchise contract is only as safe as its pre-contractual disclosure. Deliver the draft and the pre-contractual information document at least one month before signing, use the updated post-September-2024 requirements, draft clear brand, fee, term and non-compete clauses, choose Belgian law, and get Belgian advice before signing.