Jo Goethals, Lawyer.

Emergo Advocaten was founded by Jo Goethals as shareholder-director.

Jo Goethals graduated in 1997 with a licentiate in law and a diploma in law education at the Catholic University of Leuven. He also followed the specialization course in environmental law at the same university.

mr. Goethals is also a candidate in Philosophy.

mr. Goethals is a lawyer at the West Flanders Bar, with offices in Roeselare.

Since 1997 he has been active as a lawyer in the field of real estate law and administrative law, in particular environmental law and spatial planning law, environmental law, soil remediation and expropriation law. Government contracts and Public Private Partnerships (PPP projects) are also among his specialisations. His expertise lies in conducting administrative, civil and criminal proceedings and providing advice in these fields.

He is a member of the “Society of Advocates for Public Law” (GAP vzw) and the “Forum Environmental Lawyers”. He is also a member of the editorial board of the “Nieuw Notarieel Kwartaalschrift”.

The lectures and scientific legal publications in well-known legal journals are mainly situated in administrative law.

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  • “About compensation in public procurement law”, RABG, 2003, 1197.

  • “Legal protection in case of a town planning strike order: some considerations”, RABG, 2004, 115.

  • “The interaction between urban planning and tenancy law”, T. Huur, 2008/1, 2-11.

  • “The implications of the new Soil Decree on apartment co-ownership, tenancy law and the right of use and habitation”, NNK, 2008/4, 90-94.

  • “Changes to urban planning law in the Flemish Region”, NNK, 2009/3, 95-111.

  • “The energy performance certificate for non-residential buildings', NNK, 2010/1, 27-30.

  • “Mobility study in large projects”, NNK, 2010/4, 24.

  • “Actuals on vacancy levies: The new municipal vacancy register in context”, NNK, 2010/4, 39.

  • “Overview of the amendments to the Spatial Planning Codex with the Decree of 16 July 2010”, NNK, 2011/2, 26.

  • “Mandatory mention of the energy score in real estate advertisements”, NNK, 2012/2, 30.

  • “New model form for soil certificate applications”, NNK, 2011/1, 24.

  • Changes Flemish Codex Spatial Planning, NNK 2011, issue 2, 26-30

  • The exemption from planning permission for minor works and the notification obligation for certain simple works, NNK 2012, ep. 1, 41-52

  • The mandatory mention of the energy score in real estate advertisements, NNK 2012, ep. 2, 30-32

  • Rent and environmental law: The EPC in Flanders and Brussels for residential and non-residential buildings, June 2014, Story Publisher Ghent, H-XX-1-1,

  • New model forms for decisions on applications for urban planning permits and subdivision permits, NNK 2014, ep. 3, 32

  • Smoke detectors in Flanders, NNK 2014, ep. 4, 15-18

  • Recent amendments to the Decree of the Flemish Government of 16 July 2010 on provisions for actions that do not require an urban development permit, NNK 2015, ep. 3-4, 48-50.

  • Mandatory insulation of roofs in homes in Flanders, NNK 2017-3, ep. 4, 26-40


Teacher on study days

  • July 2, 2009: Explanation of the new “Flemish spatial planning codex” for the “Royal Association of Surveyors – Experts West Flanders” 

  • October 6, 2009: “The environmental permit and the commercial lease, and the interfaces with the Soil Decree” IFE – Hilton Antwerp

  • November 17, 2009: Explanation of the “Land and Pan Decree” for the “Royal Association of Surveyors – Experts West Flanders”

  • Seminar organized by 'International Faculty for Executives BENELUX' on 21 and 22 September 2010, Hilton Hotel Antwerp, Administrative law aspects regarding alternative real estate structures: Who applies for the urban development or subdivision permits? What are the sanctions? What about the execution of the works in relation to protected monuments and landscapes? Obtaining and permitting ground lease and/or superficies rights by municipalities.

  • Seminar organized by 'International Faculty for Executives BENELUX' on 8 and 9 February 2011, Radisson Sas Antwerp, on the changes to the spatial planning codex and the implications for the real estate sector.

  • Seminar organized by 'International Faculty for Executives BENELUX' on March 15, 2012, Antwerp, sales agreements for real estate: The new administrative obligations in Flanders and Brussels

  • Seminar organized by 'International Faculty for Executives BENELUX' on 28 and 29 May 2013, Antwerp, Handelshuur: The innovations in land law and the law on commercial establishments: The different procedures. The obligations of the Soil Decree. The conclusion of a rental contract for more than 9 years: a transfer within the meaning of the Soil Decree? Inclusion of a clause in the contract.