Klaas Francken

Klaas focuses on corporate criminal law, (international) tax procedures (including customs and excise) and the interface between the two. He has a particular interest in European law, fundamental rights and the procedural aspects of law, such as the law of evidence. He also analyses complex (international) tax issues, and litigates, where necessary, under Belgian, European or international law. In doing so, he always examines whether an agreement can be made, in order to avoid lengthy procedures where possible.

Because prevention is always better than cure, Klaas proactively advises clients in the context of their compliance policies, such as the preventive money laundering legislation for accountants, lawyers, auditors and diamond companies, for example. Klaas has recently dealt with files on international double taxation, permanent establishments, Cayman tax, and investigations by the Special Tax Inspectorate and tax fraud, such as domicile fraud, VAT carousels and inheritance tax fraud.

He is also active in the field of customs and excise offences (such as surreptitious imports, anti-dumping duties, undervaluation and pricing) and tax representation.

Klaas has now acquired extensive knowledge in tax and corporate criminal law (money laundering, insolvency fraud and economic offences, such as abuse of corporate assets and trust, forgery and accounting offences). On the basis of this interest, he is also a practice assistant in the law of criminal procedure at KU Leuven. He holds the Special Training in Cassation Proceedings in Criminal Matters certificate, allowing him to represent your interests in a criminal case to the level of the Court of Cassation. Klaas is part of the criminal law and tax procedure and international taxation and human rights subject groups.