Belgium launches blacklist for rogue entrepreneurs

Belgians can now check online whether an entrepreneur has been banned from managing a company in the past. The blacklist, called JustBan, aims to prevent rogue entrepreneurs and fraudulent managers from creating new victims.

Judges can issue a management ban when entrepreneurs commit gross errors or go bankrupt in a fraudulent way. However, fraudsters are often able to create new victims because they can easily fly under the radar. Fraudulent contractors, for example, often manage to repeatedly set up new companies after going bankrupt.

"All too often, management bans are not respected because they are not sufficiently monitored," said Justice minister Paul Van Tigchelt. "This often allows dishonest contractors and fraudulent managers to continue to claim victims."

A new online central registry aims to change this. As of October 20, anyone wishing to do business with an entrepreneur can use JustBan to check in advance whether that person is subject to a management ban. 

Notaries and company court clerks will also be required to consult the central register whenever a client wishes to create a new company or take up a management position.

The register can be accessed via justonweb.be and already lists about 10,000 management bans. Only criminal management bans are currently included in the register. Civil management bans will be added in 2024.

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