Delegation of signing authority - Belgium

Protocol Directorate - P1.1
CIRCULAR NOTE
DELEGATION OF SIGNING AUTHORITY
(12 September 2012)
The Federal Public Service Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and Development Co-operation
presents its compliments to the Diplomatic Missions established in Brussels and has the
honour to communicate the provisions relating to the “DELEGATION OF SIGNING AUTHORITY”
given by the Heads of Consular Post in tax matters (customs - VAT).
1. Delegations of signing authority shall be submitted to the Directorate of Protocol -P1.1-
through a note verbale accompanied by the ad hoc form (cf. Annex). All changes
affecting the delegations of signing authority are to be entered on a new form. This new
form shall also list all existing delegations of signing authority. Only the most recent
form shall be considered valid.
2. Delegations of signing authority can be given for the following documents :
2.1. Form 136F
Diplomatic import of all admitted goods and purchases in Belgium under the consular tax
exemption, liable to excise duty under the same scheme for official use of the Consular
Post and for personal use of beneficiaries of such exemptions.
2.2. Forms 450 and 451
On all purchases in Belgium (for products that can be exempted from VAT) both for
official use of the Consular Post and for personal use of beneficiaries of such
exemptions.
2.3. Certificate 15.10 (directive 2006/112/EC,art 151,§1)
All purchases (for products that can be exempted from VAT and excise duties) outside
Belgium but within the territory of the European Union both for official use of the
Consular Post and for personal use of beneficiaries of such exemptions.

3. Signature by an acting head of post
3.1. It is highly advisable that the Head of Mission should give delegation of signing authority
to the future acting head of post to avoid discontinuity in the working of the
Mission regarding customs and tax matters when the Head is temporarily absent.
3.2. Where no such delegation has been given, the Mission should not fill in the abovementioned
documents, but wait for the Head of Consulair Post to return.
3.3. Delegation of signing authority by acting head of post to another acting head of
post shall not be accepted unless appointment of the latter is confirmed by the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Sending State.
4. When a new Head of Consular Post takes up duties
4.1. Delegations granted by his/her predecessor remain valid. The new Head of Mission is
nevertheless free:
– To renew the existing delegations under his/her own signature;
– To withdraw all delegations of signing authority;
– To replace them by new delegations.
4.2. Delegations of signing authority that are currently in force remain valid.
5. Where the person authorised to sign the above-mentioned documents is not
Listed in the registers of the Directorate of Protocol – P1.1 as a holder of a special
identity card, this should be stated expressly in the note verbale from the Consular Post
accompanying the ad hoc form shall communicate that person’s file number to the said
Consular Post, so that it can be used when filling in the documents in question.
The Federal Public Service Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation avails
itself of this opportunity to renew to the diplomatic missions established in Brussels the
assurance of its highest consideration.

DELEGATION OF SIGNING AUTHORITY:
CONSULAIR
POST
I the undersigned: .......................................................................................
Head of Consular Post: .................................................................................
............................................................................................
Hereby declare that I give delegation of signing authority in customs and tax (VAT)
matters to:
1. Mr Miss Mrs Ms :
.................................................
File number : ..............................
Rank: ........................................
Specimen of signature of the
beneficiary:
2. Mr Miss Mrs Ms :
.................................................
File number : ..............................
Rank: ........................................
Specimen of signature of the
beneficiary:
3. Mr Miss Mrs Ms :
.................................................
File number : ..............................
Rank: ........................................
Specimen of signature of the
beneficiary:
4. Mr Miss Mrs Ms :
.................................................
File number : ..............................
Rank : .......................................
Specimen of signature of the
beneficiary :
Done at Brussels on
Seal of the Mission
Signature of the Head of Consular Post
(Consul General or acting head of post – for
the latter, the appointment must be
confirmed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
of the Sending State) :
Delete where inapplicable