The benefits of correctly worded legal notices
- According to the law, you are compliant and can act fully legally
- The commercial relationship you establish with your customers is clearer
- You are easily recognisable, including on social media
Legal obligations: webshop or classic website?
If you have a website, the law requires you to provide some important and official details, such as your company's address and VAT number.
Do you sell products or services through a webshop? In that case, the law imposes stricter requirements. Why? To engage in the clearest and smoothest possible communication with your customers and thus avoid disappointment. So you must clearly explain the payment and delivery terms, as well as your customer's right of withdrawal. And don't forget:
The main characteristics of the products you sell: size or dimensions, material, weight, or condition of the product
The price of the products: you should indicate how much each product will cost, including VAT. That shields your customer from any unpleasant surprises
Where should the legal obligations be on your website?
You must clearly refer to the legal notices on your website. You can do this in several places:
- On your contact page, so your customers know exactly whom they are contacting
- In the footer of your website, so they are visible on every page the customer visits
- Don't forget to mention them in your emails either
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Legal obligations for your website
If you use your website mainly to promote your professional activity online, you must also include certain information. This is called legal notices. This is the complete list (note that it also applies to webshops):
- The name and business name of your company
- The postal address
- The contact details
- Company number
- The VAT number
The name and business name of your company
If you have a company, you must state its legal form (nv, bv, ...). If you carry on an activity as a natural person, your own name must also appear on your website.
The postal address
This is the address of the registered office of your company or of your own home if you conduct your activity as a natural person. If your company is domiciled somewhere other than its registered office, you must also include that address.
The contact details
By that, we mean the email address and phone number where your customers can reach you. Prefer not to disclose your email address? You can use a contact form instead. This is completely legal, provided you communicate with your customers in a clear and smooth manner.
Company number
These are the ten digits you received from the Crossroads Bank for Enterprises when you registered as self-employed.
The VAT number
If you are liable to pay taxes, you will need to activate your company number at a VAT counter. So your VAT number is your company number preceded by 'VAT BE'.
General terms and conditions for your website
We recommend that you also include your terms and conditions of sale on your website. That way, you avoid misunderstandings with your customers about payment and delivery terms, as well as liability in case of delay or loss.
Your website must also comply with confidentiality obligations:
- Do you use cookies, particularly via Google Analytics or Facebook Pixel? Then you should add a cookie banner to your website to inform your customer of this and ask permission to process their IP address
- If you work with a contact form, you should include a confidentiality policy in which you describe what personal customer data you will process, how and to what extent, in accordance with the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)
Legal obligations if you have a regulated profession
Certain professions are officially regulated. This means that access to these professions is limited. So you must meet certain requirements to be legally compliant:
- If you need a licence for your commercial activity, you should mention the name of the relevant supervisory authority. As a real estate agent, you are required to refer on your website, for example, to the Professional Institute of Estate Agents
- Did you have to obtain a diploma or certificate of competence to practise your profession (for example, for a lawyer or real estate agent)? Then you must:
- Indicate the professional organisation or association of which your company is a member
- State your professional title and in which European Economic Area (EEA) country it was issued
- Referring to the rules of your profession
- If your company has endorsed a Code of Conduct specific to your sector, include a link where your visitors can access it
Is your profession regulated? Rely on experts for tailor-made advice.
Legal obligations for social media
If you are active on social media, you must disclose your official information there too to identify yourself. After all, Facebook pages and Instagram accounts are increasingly facing trade disputes because of identity theft or identity fraud.
Have you created a Facebook page for your business? In the 'About' section, include the name and address of your company and any other necessary information depending on the activity you carry out. Facebook has even inserted a 'Legal Entries' section so that you are legally all set!