The commercial court in Turnhout declared the business bankrupt this week, with local media reporting that two separate legal entities operating in Arendonk’s Hoge Mauw industrial zone are involved.
In a statement carried by Dutch-language trade media, BTB-ABVV said drivers were again being left exposed, claiming that staff had gone three months without wages. The union argued that transport tenders were “almost exclusively” decided on price, pushing rates to levels that, in its view, make compliance with wage and social contribution obligations increasingly difficult.
The union also pointed to the role of large customers in shaping market behaviour. It said Van Steenbergen had carried out work for major shippers including Nike and ArcelorMittal, and argued that awarding contracts on “objectively too low” bids should not be treated as a neutral procurement choice.
The case has revived scrutiny over practices that Belgian unions and authorities have previously associated with “social dumping”. Local outlet RTV reported that federal police carried out a raid roughly five years ago, linked to allegations that drivers were working for very low pay and that a significant share of trucks were registered abroad — a development the company later described as “the beginning of the end”.
BTB-ABVV is using the bankruptcy to press for tighter enforcement and clearer liability up the contracting chain. It called for action against tendering practices, it says structurally depress prices; for the application of Belgian rules the union says prohibit transport services priced “too low”; for the annual tariff guidance produced by the Institute for Transport and Logistics Belgium (ITLB) to be made binding; and for limits on subcontracting chains alongside stronger joint liability for principals where breaches occur.
Brussels weighs curbs on subcontracting chains
The dispute highlighted by Van Steenbergen’s collapse is playing out in parallel in Brussels, where the European Parliament has urged the European Commission to draft EU-wide rules to tighten oversight of subcontracting and labour intermediation.
In a vote in Strasbourg earlier this month, MEPs backed a report calling for a directive to curb worker exploitation as part of the Commission’s planned Quality Jobs Act. The document argues that extensive subcontracting chains can blur accountability and contribute to lower pay, weaker safety conditions and less stable employment — dynamics it flags in “high-risk” sectors, including transport, according to Trans.info reporting published on 13 February 2026.
Parliament’s report points to a menu of potential measures: EU-wide licensing of labour intermediaries, a ban on charging fees to workers, and joint-and-several liability for wages and social contributions across the entire subcontracting chain. It also calls for closer cooperation between the European Labour Authority, Europol and national enforcement bodies.
The initiative has exposed a fault line in the road transport economy. Supporters — including unions and some haulage organisations — argue that multi-tier contracting accelerates freight-rate decline, weakens the bargaining position of smaller carriers and creates incentives to bypass tax and social insurance rules. Industry critics warn that statutory limits on subcontracting could interfere with the freedom to provide services, push business towards consolidation and add administrative burdens, particularly if liability is extended up the chain to principals who say they lack practical control over complex supply networks.
For now, the Parliament’s position is political rather than legislative. But it increases pressure on the Commission to decide whether to propose new rules — or to argue that tighter enforcement of existing national and EU frameworks is the more credible route.
