Articles

The global commodity markets are no stranger to controversy. But when a firm as large as Trafigura finds itself facing several major legal battles simultaneously, the industry must take note. One concerns an alleged fraud involving nickel shipments worth about $600 million; another involves a landmark bribery conviction. A third centres on the long-running dispute related to Nyrstar, in which Trafigura has faced allegations over its role in the company’s financial collapse. T

When De Tijd highlighted zinc’s vital role in the green transition, it might have sounded like a niche industrial story. Zinc may not appear on the European Commission’s list of “critical” materials, but its byproducts — germanium, indium, and gallium — are indispensable for semiconductors, fiber optics, batteries, and advanced defense systems. These rare metals place zinc smelters like Nyrstar at the heart of a geopolitical contest. As demand for critical minerals surges, Eu

As geopolitical tensions and fears of war escalate, the race for strategic raw materials has reached a fever pitch among the world’s major power blocs. Commodity giants such as Glencore and Trafigura are cashing in on global scarcity, posting record-breaking profits that underscore their growing dominance in the global supply chain. Traders Thrive Amid Geopolitical Turmoil A recent Bloomberg article confirms that the world’s top metal traders are among the biggest beneficiari

The Market Court recently received a petition for the annulment and reform of the decision of the Sanctions Commission of financial watchdog FSMA in the Nyrstar case. The commission had found Nyrstar NV guilty of market manipulation. The company was fined €80,000, but its board members were acquitted. The commission ruled that there had been insufficient investigation into their individual roles in the manipulation. That ruling is now being challenged. The ball is therefore i

The FSMA Sanctions Commission did find misleading practices at Nyrstar and convicted it of market manipulation related to its liquidity position prior to the restructuring. The other allegations, despite having been thoroughly analyzed for four years by the FSMA Auditor, were dismissed two years later, after six years of proceedings, including five days of closed-door hearings, without even consulting the minority shareholders' union that had been working on the case for more

“Together, we can make our societies open for business but closed for crime.” The words of Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever at the United Nations still resonate as I work my way through the 146-page decision of the FSMA Sanctions Committee on market manipulation at Nyrstar NV. The Committee’s mandate was clear: to determine the sanctions for four violations identified by the FSMA’s auditor after years of investigation. His exhaustive reports left little doubt that Nyrstar

Minority shareholders who suffer huge losses are left waiting for years, while courts, despite their best efforts, lack the resources to...

In this short video, Bart De Smet, Chairman of the Corporate Governance Committee, reflects on the independence of board members and the...

The Nyrstar saga continues to make headlines. La Libre follows up on articles published by L'Echo and De Tijd and highlights a striking...

Minister Annelies Verlinden is requesting an additional €1 billion for structural investments in her department. Her message is sobering:...

Our years of appealing for transparency in the sour Nyrstar file finally seems to have been heard. In this article by Bert Broens in De...

The imminent introduction of multiple voting rights is currently sparking controversy in the media over whether sufficient consideration...

Listed companies will soon be able to introduce multiple voting rights in addition to double voting rights. Without robust checks and...

The enforcement committee of the FSMA is expected to rule on the Nyrstar case shortly. It is high time, as it has been more than six...

Yes, a battery park in Balen provides job security and contributes to the energy transition, and we can only applaud that. And yes,...

From Jakarta to Geneva, Trafigura’s Troubles Multiply. Fresh off a Swiss court conviction tied to operations in Angola, commodity giant...

Is Nyrstar’s board of directors truly caught between a rock and a hard place? That metaphor positions the board as a victim. In reality,...

The financial newspaper De Tijd published an opinion by Kris Vansanten in which he argues that Nyrstar should finally act in line with...

The wheels of justice turn slowly – too slowly – and this undermines the credibility of the rule of law. In an opinion piece in De Tijd,...

“You're losing.” With these harsh words, Jamie Dimon, CEO of the world's largest bank, addressed Europe today in the Financial Times....