Jurisdiction-specific data protection, defamation law, and removal process information for Belgium. Last reviewed 2025.
Autorité de protection des données (APD) / Gegevensbeschermingsautoriteit (GBA) is the supervisory authority for data protection in Belgium. Individuals can file erasure and data-related complaints directly with this authority.
GDPR (EU 2016/679) and the Belgian Act of 30 July 2018 on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data
Belgium's APD/GBA enforces GDPR erasure rights and participates actively in the European Data Protection Board (EDPB). Belgium was an early EU country to litigate RTBF cases following the 2014 Google Spain ECJ ruling.
Belgian defamation law combines criminal provisions (Articles 443-453 of the Belgian Criminal Code) and civil tort law. Online defamation is treated similarly to print defamation. Belgium also has specific press law protections for journalistic sources.
Erasure requests can be filed with the APD/GBA. Belgian courts have jurisdiction over international defendants when content is accessible in Belgium. The Belgian Institute for Postal Services and Telecommunications (BIPT) also handles some online content complaints.
Common Belgian sources requiring removal include De Standaard, Het Laatste Nieuws, La Libre Belgique, Le Soir, De Morgen, RTBf.be, and VRT.be (Flemish public broadcaster).
Belgium's dual language structure (French and Dutch/Flemish) means content often appears in both linguistic communities' publications. Effective removal may need to address both language regions, which have distinct media landscapes and readerships.