Belgium: Brussels

'Pro bono work is an integral part of a Belgian lawyer's training and in that context our associates have been involved in a variety of matters under the legal aid regime organised by the Belgian Bar. We have also been involved in providing employment law advice to Oxfam International and are very proud about our work for the Fortis Foundation, the Dexia Foundation and an association of pro bono organisations on developing a new legislative tax framework for sponsorship of pro bono initiatives.'
Thomas Janssens, partner responsible for CSR in Brussels and member of our community and pro bono committee

The Brussels office, together with associates from other European offices around the network, is involved in a pro bono project to assist the European Citizen Action Service (ECAS) in defending European citizens' rights. ECAS provides European citizens with information on their rights when they move within the EU and helps them solve problems where their rights are not respected.

ECAS – defending EU citizens' rights

We have been working with ECAS on a number of projects. We have continued our work with Parents and Children Together on a project to help parents whose children have been abducted by their ex-partners, typically when a marriage between two people of different nationalities breaks up and one parent takes the child back to their home state without the consent of the other. European lawmakers are currently campaigning for EU legislation addressing the problem of cross-border abduction and the report has proved persuasive. We are continuing our dialogue with lawmakers on this issue and have put ourselves at their disposal to provide legal advice.

We have also been involved with ECAS in assisting pensioners who retire in a different member state to their home country so that they are not disadvantaged through reductions in their pension rights as a result of exercising their free movement rights. This has involved liaison with the European Parliament and potential legal proceedings. One member state government has now agreed that rules will only be changed for future cases and not retrospectively for those currently residing in the country.

Andreas von Bonin, partner in Brussels ACT, has taken up a position on the ECAS board of directors. This will enable the firm to continue its work in defending citizens' rights.

Helping disadvantaged children

Volunteers from the Brussels office also visit a local school, Ecole Sainte-Marie in Saint Gilles (municipality of Brussels), twice a week to participate in a reading programme with pupils aged between two and four. Many of the children are from disadvantaged areas, and books and reading do not play a regular part in their day-to-day home lives. The Brussels office has been participating in this programme for a number of years.

We have organised other initiatives with this school, including donating second-hand books and toys and collecting to help fund summer day trips for the pupils. The office has also donated €8,500 worth of computer equipment to schools in Brussels this past year.

Community Challenge

As part of our firmwide community and pro bono initiative, Community Challenge 2008, our Brussels office organised a full day of activities for 100 young children at Ecole Sainte-Marie school including a visit to a puppet theatre.