Stock option plans extended

Companies and beneficiaries of stock option plans can now, under certain conditions, extend the exercise period of options granted through stock option plans [1].
This new measure applies to stock option plans subject to the Law of 26 March 1999 and concluded between 1 January 2003 and 31 August 2008.

It allows the company offering the options (a Belgian or foreign legal entity) to extend, with the agreement of the beneficiaries, the exercise period of the options by up to a maximum of 5 years without additional tax costs.

This agreement must be made before 30 June 2009 and notified to the administration before 31 July 2009.

This extension is only valid, with regard to the plans adhered to by the same beneficiary within the same company, for options with a maximum taxable value of 100,000 Euros.

In the event that a stock option plan relates to warrants, the 10 year maximum period as from issuance for exercising the warrants under article 499 of the Companies Code, can be exceeded.