Gauthier van Thuyne
Partner
Brussels
Gauthier van Thuyne
Partner
Brussels
Contact details
Gauthier heads the Belgian Environmental and Public Law department, and is member of Allen & Overy’s International Environment, Climate and Regulatory Law Group steering committee, and the Global Public Law core group steering committee. He also heads the Belgian sustainability team, and is a member of Allen & Overy's global sustainability board.
Gauthier advises companies on planning and environmental law - with a particular focus on permits for industry and manufacturing, real estate and energy projects. He specialises in climate change and European Green Deal regulations (including EU ETS, voluntary carbon markets, renewables, disclosures, reporting, policies, climate and greenwashing litigation), ESG and sustainability (with extensive experience in business and human rights and supply chain issues), and on energy transition projects and technologies.
He also assists public authorities, companies, banks, public-funded entities and utilities on all types of public contracts, including public-private partnerships (PPPs), public procurement and large transactions, such as concessions (water distribution, waste management etc).
Gauthier advises on compliance with REACH and other EU chemical regulations, as well as with EU product regulations (including ELV, Batteries, WEEE and RoHS) and waste, contaminated land, hazardous substances and environmental compliance issues.
Gauthier has a deep understanding of the different procedures, approaches and strategies required to deal with complex environmental and public law issues, and has extensive litigation experience in these areas of law before the administrative, civil and criminal courts, as well as before the European courts.
Expertise
Practices
Environmental, Climate and Regulatory Law
Environmental, Social and Governance
Sectors
Qualifications
Professional
Stagiair, Belgium, 1994
Admitted as advocaat, Belgium, 1999
Registered Foreign Lawyer, England and Wales, 2021
Academic
Law Degree, Universiteit Gent (RUG), 1992
Postgraduate, Business Law, Université Libre de Bruxelles, 1994
Experience highlights
A national airport operator on environmental and aircraft noise related matters, including in relation to its environmental permits and related litigation
The Port of Zeebrugge, owned by MBZ, in connection with its landmark merger with the Port of Antwerp. The combination, which has been discussed for more than 10 years, brings together the first and second largest ports, not just in Belgium, but in Europe
We advised Telenet on its joint venture with Fluvius for the creation of a network infrastructure company in Flanders. We also advised the client on the auction sale of its mobile tower infrastructure, which involves the ring-fencing of client's infrastructure asset followed by a (potential) sale to a third party – a never-before-been-done type of transaction in the Belgian market with significant regulatory implications
The public waste agency, on the PFOS pollution case relating to a major contamination in Zwijndrecht (port of Antwerp) with so-called “forever chemicals”, and the related parliamentary investigations
Related articles
Publications: 29 November 2023
Podcast: Key issues to watch at COP 28
COP 28 is a significant milestone. Not only will the conference hear the findings of the first-ever Global Stocktake, which reviews progress against the goals of the Paris Agreement, but extensive…
Publications: 04 October 2023
Publications: 02 October 2023
EU carbon border adjustment mechanism – the transitional phase has begun: Are you ready?
Publications: 25 September 2023
Expertise
Practices
Environmental, Climate and Regulatory Law
Environmental, Social and Governance
Sectors
Qualifications
Professional
Stagiair, Belgium, 1994
Admitted as advocaat, Belgium, 1999
Registered Foreign Lawyer, England and Wales, 2021
Academic
Law Degree, Universiteit Gent (RUG), 1992
Postgraduate, Business Law, Université Libre de Bruxelles, 1994
Published work
- van Thuyne, G. (2022). To waste or not to waste? Raad van State stelt de grens tussen grondverzet en opslag van afvalstoffen op scherpt, Tijdschrift voor Milieurecht, vol. 5, p.545.
- van Thuyne, G., Goossens, F. (2022). What are the main statutes and regulations relating to the environment? Getting the Deal Through, Lexology.
- van Thuyne, G., Goossens, F. (2022). In brief: GHG emission regulation and allowances in European Union, Lexology.
- van Thuyne, G., Goossens, F. (2022). Q&A: climate and environmental regulation in European Union, Lexicology.
- van Thuyne, G., Goossens, F. (2022). At a glance: enforcement of environmental law in European Union, Lexicology.
- van Thuyne, G., Pirard, A., Neven L. (2022). Public Procurement & Government Contracts 2022, Chambers and Partners.
- van Thuyne, G., Goossens, F. (2022). Comments in: Brussels aims to flip burden of proof for some pollution lawsuits, Politico.
- van Thuyne, G., Pissierssens, V. (2021). The High Stakes of Transparency and Equal Treatment in (Beglian) Public Contracts: the (Un)Certain Faith of Contracts Awarded Without Competition, European Procurement & Public Private Partnership Law Review, vol. 16/ 3, p. 240 – 245.
- van Thuyne, G., Goossens, F., Neven, L. (2021). Q&A: climate and environmental regulation in European Union, Lexicology.
- van Thuyne, G., Goossens, F., Neven, L. (2021). At a glance: enforcement of environmental law in European Union, Lexicology.
- van Thuyne, G., Goossens, F., Neven, L. (2021). Renewable energy and carbon capture in European Union, Lexicology.
- van Thuyne, G., Goossens, F., Neven, L. (2021). In brief: GHG emission regulation and allowances in European Union, Lexicology.
- van Thuyne, G., Leroy, C. (2021). Le devoir de vigilance et de responsabilité des entreprises à la sauce belge, Tijdschrift voor Belgisch Handelsrecht, p. 551-610.
- van Thuyne, G. (2013). REACH – Best Practice Guide to Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006, C.H. Beck, “Downstream users” (together with F. Goossens), p. 363-378, “Authorisations and restrictions” (together with F. Goossens), p. 443-470, “Legal Actions and Appeals” (together with E. Mullier), p. 471-494
