A new code of ethics governs the use of artificial intelligence by real estate agents

The Belgian Official Gazette published on September 21, 2026, the royal decree of July 20, 2026, approving the new code of ethics of the Professional Institute of Real Estate Agents, under reference [2026/006656], page 50952. The text, signed by King Philippe and countersigned by the Minister for Middle Classes, the Self-Employed and SMEs E. Simonet, replaces the code approved by the royal decree of June 29, 2018, which was repealed on October 1, 2026. For the first time, it regulates the use of artificial intelligence by real estate agents.

A 95-article code resulting from the SME Plan

The new code is based on a decision of the National Council of the Professional Institute of Real Estate Agents dated June 24, 2026, taken following the opinion of the Finance Inspector of July 9, 2026. Its legal foundations are Article 8, § 1, of the framework law of August 3, 2007, relating to intellectual professions providing services, and Article 13 of the law of February 11, 2013, organizing the profession of real estate agent.

According to the preamble, the objective is to implement measure 83 of the SME Plan, which prescribes the adaptation of the codes of ethics of regulated professions to the current social context. The framework is structured into five titles and several subtitles, from Article 4 to Article 95, and now integrates updated provisions regarding third-party accounts, resulting in the repeal of the corresponding ethical directive.

Artificial intelligence: transparency and prohibition of deception

The new subtitle V, consisting of Articles 43 to 45, constitutes the main novelty. It notably provides that:

• the use of an artificial intelligence system may not prejudice the ethical and legal obligations of the real estate agent;
• the real estate agent shall carry out a thorough and critical evaluation of the generated information;
• they shall inform third parties of the use, even partial, of such a system and the manner in which it is employed, to the extent that current legal obligations so require;
• they must possess sufficient skills, adapted to the complexity of the system and the context of use;
• they may not enter personal data into an open artificial intelligence system;
• the use of an artificial intelligence system for the purpose of deceiving people is prohibited.

Third-party accounts and anti-money laundering

Title V, Chapter I (Articles 92 to 94), reiterates the rules on financial movements. The intermediary real estate agent and the managing real estate agent must have quality accounts, opened with a financial institution according to an agreement providing at a minimum for:

• that a quality account never presents a debit balance;
• that no credit may be granted to it and that it cannot serve as security;
• that no offsetting, merger, or stipulation of account unity with other bank accounts is possible;
• that the real estate agent irrevocably authorizes the legal assessor of the Executive Chamber to which they belong to receive communication and copies of operations and seizures;
• that the number of the third-party account(s) used, and any modification, are communicated to the Institute.

Chapter II (Article 95) mandates compliance with legal and regulatory provisions relating to the prevention of money laundering and terrorist financing, as well as the limitation of the use of cash. The code further specifies that the real estate agent acting as a syndicate manager maintains separate accounts for each homeowners’ association (Article 81) and retains supporting documents for ten years (Article 88).

Training, competition and other updates

Other adaptations reflect the evolution of professional practice and the digitalization of exchanges:

• the intermediary real estate agent and the syndicate real estate agent undergo at least ten hours of continuing education per calendar year, or twenty hours for those registered in both columns (Article 12);
• the duty of non-disparagement of a colleague explicitly applies to online interactions (Article 33);
• co-exclusive relationships require a collaboration agreement on a durable medium (Article 35);
• a real estate agent exercising a jurisdictional, investigative, or advisory function within the Institute may not disclose privileged information, with the prohibition remaining in effect for two years after the end of the function (Article 46).

Scope

For real estate agents and their agencies, the timeline is now set: the 2018 code ceases to take effect on October 1, 2026, and the new obligations, particularly regarding artificial intelligence and third-party accounts, apply from that date. Professionals therefore have a few days to adapt their contracts, their mentions on documents and websites, as well as their internal control and training procedures.

Source: Belgian Official Gazette (Moniteur belge) No. 212 of September 21, 2026, Royal Decree of July 20, 2026, approving the code of ethics of the Professional Institute of Real Estate Agents, [2026/006656], p. 50952.