LUNCH DEBATE : 05 FEBRUARY 2026

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GDPR, Cookies & AI: Practical Compliance and points of attention for International Associations  
 

International associations established in Belgium face growing regulatory pressure in their digital activities. There are multiple set of rules and obligations to take into account including rules addressing Data protection, online tracking, artificial intelligence, and cybersecurity whose requirements may overlap in some cases.

This one-hour session offers an accessible high-level overview of the main compliance issues international associations should be aware of regarding data protection, online tracking, artificial intelligence and cybersecurity rules with relevant examples.

Part I looks at the GDPR from a high-level, practical standpoint. The objective is not to analyse the regulation article by article, but to explain when and why it applies to international associations in Belgium. The session outlines the key obligations regulators expect organisations to understand and manage in practice. This part also highlights possible regulatory evolutions linked to the European Commission’s Digital Omnibus initiative.

Part II focuses on cookies and online tracking. It explains how GDPR and ePrivacy rules apply to association websites, member platforms, and online tools. The session clarifies what valid consent means in practice and where associations most often encounter difficulties. Potential changes to the cookie framework under the Digital Omnibus discussions will also be mentioned.

Part III introduces artificial intelligence obligations from the perspective of associations. It explains how the EU AI Act may apply to their activities in practice and how it interacts with the GDPR. Applicable cybersecurity rules and possible developments of the AI act under the Digital Omnibus are also briefly flagged.

The presentation is delivered by Mathieu Desmet, lawyer at the Brussels Bar, with a practice focused on data protection law, ICT/IP law and commercial law applied to the digital economy.