In line with its strong position in clinical research, Belgium is one of the first European Member States where the implementing regulation of the Clinical Trials Directive is fully operational. The specific conditions provided for in the new law concerning experiments on the human person (May 7, 2004) reinforce Belgium as a very attractive host for clinical trials, ensuring a lasting environment for innovative research. pharma.be, the Belgian Pharmaceutical Industry Association, wants to contribute its part to research in Belgium by clarifying the practical implications of the new regulations. At its request, dr. iur. Caroline Trouet wrote an Operational Guidance, which analyses the new Belgian law from the perspective of the sponsor of a clinical trial, but addresses the roles and tasks of all parties involved in clinical trials. In order to assist everyone involved in clinical trials in the practical implementation of the new law, the Guidance provides for a short and comprehensive overview and insight into the process flows of the submission to and evaluation by the competent authority and the ethics committee of a clinical trials application. In addition, standard templates for the most important documents are added. The text is useful, both for study sponsors and for all other actors in the field of medical research and development such as members of ethics committees, physicians, pharmacists, administrators etc.; by those who have had access to the manuscript, it is already qualified as the standard textbook on the new EU legal framework and its transposition into Belgian law.