Jesse De Bruyn advises on complex cross-border disputes, with a particular focus on customs, VAT and excise matters. He represents clients throughout all stages of disputes with the authorities, from administrative proceedings to litigation before the courts, including both civil and criminal aspects. His practice is strongly oriented towards contentious matters, often involving technical questions relating to tariff classification, customs valuation and origin, as well as broader enforcement and investigation contexts. He has developed significant experience in high-stakes trade and customs disputes, including cases relating to the application and circumvention of anti-dumping and countervailing duties, notably in sectors such as electric bicycles, steel and solar panels. He regularly assists clients in proceedings involving customs authorities and EU bodies such as OLAF or the EPPO, and has experience in litigation before the Court of Justice of the European Union.

Mr. De Bruyn has also completed the specialised training required to act in criminal proceedings before the Belgian Court of Cassation, allowing him to assist clients in cassation proceedings in criminal matters.

In addition to his litigation work, Mr. De Bruyn advises multinational companies and logistics operators on international trade and customs matters, helping them navigate an increasingly complex regulatory landscape, including evolving frameworks such as CBAM and energy-related taxation.

Mr. De Bruyn is actively involved in academic work as well. He previously served as a researcher at the University of Antwerp, where he contributed to a project aimed at reforming and modernising customs law in Belgium and Luxembourg, with a particular focus on sanctions, penalties and enforcement measures. In that context, he is involved in an interuniversity chair in customs law between the Universities of Liège and Antwerp, aimed at contributing to concrete legislative reform through legal analysis, comparative research and the development of legislative proposals. He is also a regular speaker in training programmes on customs and excise law at the Universities of Antwerp and Liège.

Mr. De Bruyn is a Belgian-qualified lawyer and works in Dutch, English and French.

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