On October 6, 2025, the Belgian Competition Authority (BCA) announced the launch of a consultation regarding its draft guidelines for sustainability agreements. These guidelines are intended to provide clarity for businesses on how they can engage in sustainability initiatives without violating competition law.

The BCA aims to consolidate general rules applicable to all sustainability agreements and specific rules for the agricultural sector into a single document. This effort is in response to market players' requests for clearer guidance on participating in sustainability initiatives.

To enhance accessibility, the draft guidelines include appendices summarizing key rules and a simplified decision tree for businesses to conduct a self-assessment of their sustainability projects. The consultation period will run until November 20, 2025, with the final version of the guidelines expected to be published by the end of the year.

The BCA emphasizes the importance of stakeholder contributions to ensure the guidelines meet the needs of the market. Businesses can submit their feedback via a dedicated email address provided by the BCA.