Publications and blogposts

Publications and blogposts

Case notes published in Computerrecht and blogposts written with Cresco. The short summaries are provided for orientation. The original publisher remains the authoritative source.

Publications
ComputerrechtAugust 2025Case note

Een stakingsvordering op basis van de AVG kan misbruik van (proces)recht uitmaken

A GDPR based injunction may constitute abuse of procedural rights

This case note, published in Computerrecht, examines when an injunction based on the GDPR (AVG) can amount to an abuse of procedural rights. Injunctions are a powerful tool in privacy litigation: they can force the rapid removal or cessation of processing that allegedly violates data protection law. That speed and leverage also creates scope for strategic use. The note considers where the line falls between legitimate enforcement and the invocation of GDPR or procedural rules in a way that crosses into abuse. It situates the question within the broader Belgian and European framework on abuse of rights, addressing how courts may assess the purpose, proportionality and good faith of a claimant relying on data protection grounds. The analysis is relevant to anyone involved in privacy litigation, from data subjects and claimant organisations to controllers facing demands framed as GDPR enforcement. It clarifies the limits of a mechanism that is often presented as purely protective but can, depending on the circumstances, serve a different commercial or procedural objective.

Read summary
Data protectionGDPRPrivacyProcedural law
ComputerrechtFebruary 2025Case note

AVG: Het neerleggen als stuk van een niet gepseudonimiseerd vonnis

GDPR and the submission of a non pseudonymised judgment as evidence

This case note, published in Computerrecht, addresses the GDPR implications of submitting a non pseudonymised court judgment as evidence in legal proceedings. Court judgments are, by their nature, public documents, and the principle of open justice supports their accessibility. At the same time, a judgment may contain personal data relating to parties, witnesses or third parties, and the GDPR imposes obligations on the processing of such data. The note examines the tension that arises when a non pseudonymised judgment is placed on the file as evidence, considering whether and how data protection law restricts the use of a document that the judicial system itself produces and publishes. It discusses the relationship between procedural rules, the administration of justice and data protection, and the practical question of what obligations fall on those who rely on such judgments in proceedings. The analysis is relevant to litigators, privacy practitioners and anyone handling judgments that contain personal data.

Read summary
Data protectionGDPRPrivacyJudgments

Disclaimer

Axel Desmet practises as a lawyer at Cresco Advocaten BV. This personal website is intended for professional information and does not constitute legal advice or create a lawyer client relationship.

© 2026 Axel Desmet. All rights reserved.