Legal Notice, GDPR, Cookies: The 2025 Web Compliance Guide

Legal notices on a website are mandatory in Belgium and across Europe. Whether you operate a showcase site or an e-commerce platform, you must display specific information to comply with regulations. This 2025 guide details all the legal obligations you need to meet, including those related to the GDPR, cookies, General Terms and Conditions (T&C) and Terms of Use. It replaces and supplements our previous article: « 7 points to check for your e-commerce site ».

1. Mandatory Legal Notices

Every company established in Belgium must display on its website, in a clear and accessible manner (typically in the footer or on a dedicated page):

• Company name

• Enterprise number (CBE)

• Intra-Community VAT number (if applicable)

• Full address of the registered office

• Email address and phone number

• Legal form and share capital (for companies)

• Name of the editorial manager or site administrator

• Supervisory authority or mention of the regulated profession (lawyer, notary, chartered accountant, etc.)

Failure to include these notices may result in administrative sanctions.

Official source: FPS Economy – Mandatory information on your company website

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2. GDPR-Compliant Privacy Policy

Since European Regulation 2016/679, every website collecting personal data (contact form, customer account, newsletter subscription, etc.) must specify:

• The purposes of the processing

• The legal basis (e.g. performance of a contract or consent)

• The retention period

• The rights of data subjects (access, erasure, objection, portability, etc.)

• Contact details of the data controller or DPO

• Whether any transfers outside the EU take place

A link to the privacy policy must be present on all data collection forms.

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3. Cookie Management and Consent Banner

The ePrivacy Directive, combined with the GDPR, requires displaying a cookie banner on first visit, with:

• Clear information about the types of cookies used (functional, statistical, marketing)

• The ability to refuse or accept cookies on an equal footing

• A link to a detailed cookie policy

This policy must specify the tools used (e.g. Google Analytics, Meta Pixel), their validity period and the means of withdrawing consent.

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4. General Terms and Conditions (T&C)

Mandatory for any e-commerce site, the T&C must include:

• Identification of the seller

• Essential characteristics of the products or services

• Prices including all taxes and any additional fees

• Delivery, payment and contract performance terms

• Right of withdrawal (minimum 14 days in B2C)

• Legal guarantees (conformity, hidden defects)

• Available remedies in case of dispute (mediation, competent jurisdiction)

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5. Terms of Use

Terms of Use are strongly recommended, especially for websites offering customer accounts, personal spaces or interactive services.

They may govern:

• Use of the website

• Responsibilities of the publisher and users

• Intellectual property rights over content

• Sanctions for abusive behaviour

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6. Pre-Contractual Information for Online Sales

Directive 2011/83/EU, transposed into Belgian law, requires specific information before the conclusion of a contract:

• Detailed description of the product or service

• Minimum contract duration (subscriptions)

• Whether or not a right of withdrawal exists

• Dispute resolution procedure

If this information is missing, the consumer has an extended right of withdrawal of up to one year.

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7. Accessibility and Visibility of Notices

The various policies and terms must be accessible from every page of the website, typically via the footer. It is recommended to group them as clearly labelled links: legal notice, privacy policy, cookies, T&C, Terms of Use.

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Final Recommendations

• Test your compliance with tools such as Cookiebot, Blacklight or Osano

• Have your notices reviewed by a legal professional

• Check for updates every year, especially when the law or the services offered change

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Summary: Key Notices to Include