Timeline

Hearings before the judge are scheduled for 19 and 26 November 2025. The verdict is expected in the spring of 2026.

Conclusion of the exchange of arguments between the parties’ lawyers. According to the timetable established on the 16th of April, the parties’ lawyers should exchange their pleas (legal arguments) between June 2024 and September 2025.

The final conclusions submitted by Hugues Falys and the 3 NGOs can be consulted here (in French).

On 20 December 2024, Hugues Falys and the associations (represented by the law firm Progress Lawyers Network) submitted their conclusions. The main ones can be viewed here and additionnal ones here (Warning: deepl translation).

On 20 September 2024, TotalEnergies (represented by the international law firm Jones Day) sent its main submissions to the Court.

The court has set 16 April 2024 as the date for the introductory hearing. This is an opportunity for both parties to agree on the timeline for the legal proceedings (exchange of pleadings, hearings, etc.).

On March 29, the three associations (La Ligue des droits humains, FIAN and Greenpeace) submitted their request for voluntary intervention (in french), allowing them to join Hugues’ complaint.

On the 13th of March, the summons was filed with the Commercial Court of Tournai. This marked the official launch of the climate action. Hugues and the three organisations marked the day with a press conference on the courthouse steps.

• Read more on Reuters

After months of hard work, The Farmer Case’s lawyers finalised the summons and sent it to the Commercial Court of Tournai. A few days later, it was served at TotalEnergies’ headquarter office in France. 

Two other Belgian organisations embarked on this climate project alongside Hugues Falys and the Ligue des droits humains. For FIAN Belgium Belgium, which defends the right to food and food sovereignty, and Greenpeace, which defends the environment and climate justice, taking part in this action was a matter of course and will help to broaden its scope. Hugues and the three organisations relied on the Progress Lawyers Network to take the case to court. 

The origins of this climate action lie in a meeting between Hugues Falys, a pioneer in the transition to sustainable agriculture, and the Ligue des droits humains. Together, they planned a climate action against a multinational fossil fuel company.

The driving force behind their action is to use the lever of justice to make these companies take responsibility for the consequences of their activities and play a real part in the green and just transition.

In 2019, the Ligue des droits humains created a new commission dedicated to the environment, aware that human rights issues are intimately linked to those concerning the environment and climate.