Delegation of signing authority - Belgium

K I N G D O M O F B E L G I U M
F e d e r a l P u b l i c S e r v i c e F o r e i g n A f f a i r s ,
F o r e i g n T r a d e a n d D e v e l o p m e n t C o o p e r a t i o n
Directorate of Protocol – P1.1
Immunities and privileges
Annex : 1
Circular Note
DELEGATION OF SIGNING AUTHORITY
(May, 20 th 2011)
The Federal Public Service Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation
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 Diplomatic Missions 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 diplomatic
tax exemption, liable to excise duty under the same scheme for official use of the
mission 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 mission 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 mission and for personal use of beneficiaries of such exemptions.
.
./.
TEL. 02/501 81 11
FAX 02/514 30 67
E-MAIL: info@diplobel.org
WEB: http://www.diplomatie.be
EGMONT – rue des Petits Carmes 15, 1000 Bruxelles

2.-
3. Signature by a Chargé d’Affaires ad interim
3.1. It is highly advisable that the Head of Mission should give delegation of signing
authority to the future Chargé d’affaires ad interim 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 Mission to return.
3.3. Delegation of signing authority by a Chargé d’affaires ad interim to another Chargé
d’affaires ad interim 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 Mission 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
Mission accompanying the ad hoc form shall communicate that person’s file number to
the said Mission, 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 assurances of its highest consideration.
The Diplomatic Missions
established in Brussels