136F Form (PDF, 239.11 Kb) - Belgium

MINUUT - 24/04/12 – J.-M. Trigaux
Protocol Directorate P1.1
Immunities and privileges
Circular note
FORM 136F
(April 20. 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 honor, in consultation with the
FPS Finance, to inform them on the existence and the use of Form 136F providing diplomatic exemption
from customs duties for goods purchased or imported by Diplomatic Missions established in Belgium and
their eligible staff.
The Federal Public Service Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and Development Co-operation avails itself of this
opportunity to renew to the Diplomatic Missions established in Brussels the assurance of its highest
consideration.
To the Diplomatic Missions
established in Brussels
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Use
Form 136F provides the diplomatic missions exemption from all customs duties, taxes and related charges for
all authorised goods imported by the mission from outside the European Union for official use, provided
that the principle of reciprocity is applied.
Form 136F provides the staff of the diplomatic missions who legally benefit from exemption, namely
diplomatic agents or administrative and technical staff members, exemption from customs duties, taxes and
related charges for all authorised goods imported for personal use.
The staff members of diplomatic missions who legally benefit from exemption, namely diplomatic agents or
members of the administrative and technical staff, are allowed to import into Belgium their own authorised
goods for personal use at the time of their first installation (the so-called diplomatic removal), without
application of the principle of reciprocity, provided that the import takes place within 12 months from their
arrival in Belgium. If the diplomatic agents or the members of the administrative and technical staff who are
coming to Belgium do not yet have an address or a file number at the time of their first installation in
Belgium, the diplomatic mission can draw up a statement specifying in which capacity the member of staff is
coming to Belgium and which function the person concerned holds within the diplomatic mission.
The duty-free purchase or import of cigarettes, spirits, wine and fuel (quota goods) falls under the circular
note concerning the annual quotas for diplomatic purchases.
Procedure
Form 136F is drawn up in triplicate.
The form must be clearly legible and completely filled out in one of Belgium’s official languages, which are
French, Dutch or German.
It must contain a clear and detailed description of the imported goods. A mere summary listing such as ‚colli’,
‚bags’, ‚personal goods’, ...is not enough.
The form will not be photocopied or otherwise reproduced. These forms are available at the central services
of the Administration of Customs and Excise, North Galaxy, 8th floor, Koning Albert II-laan 33, postbus 37,
1030 BRUSSELS, tel: 02 576 33 28, 02 576 31 73 or 02 579 35 13.
Forms 136F designed for quota goods will not mention other goods.
Concerning purchases or imports of goods for official use, form 136F must be signed by the head of mission
or his authorised delegate (see circular note concerning the delegation of signature).
Concerning purchases or imports of goods for personal use, form 136F must be signed by the
beneficiary/eligible member of staff personally and co-signed by the head of mission or his authorised
delegate (see circular note concerning the delegation of signature).
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Form 136F will also bear the seal of the diplomatic mission and the file number of the beneficiary.
Purchases of quota goods (see circular note concerning the annual quotas for diplomatic purchases) as well
as imports of all the authorised goods on behalf of the diplomatic mission or for personal use, are subject
to previous approval by the FPS Finance. From now on, the request for approval must be lodged with the
central services of the Administration of Customs and Excise, North Galaxy, 8th floor, Koning Albert II-laan
33, postbus 37, 1030 BRUSSELS, tel: 02 576 33 28, 02 576 31 73 or 02 579 35 13 – opening times: every
working day from 9 a.m. to 11.30 a.m. (for any goods) or by telephone appointment (for other than quota
goods).
Concerning the purchase or import of vehicles, we refer to the circular note concerning diplomatic vehicles.
When duty-free imported goods (for official or personal use) are resold to a non-eligible third party, the
duties can still be claimed.
Under no circumstances it is allowed to deliver blank forms bearing the signature and the official seal of the
diplomatic mission.
Identification of the applicant (applicant’s file number)
The form 136F must bear the applicant’s file number. For official use, the file number of the diplomatic
mission is required, whereas for personal use, the file number of the person concerned is required. The person
signing the document (official use) or co-signing the document (personal use) must mention his name,
followed by his personal file number.
File numbers are made up as follows :
- In the case of purchases for « official use », the first 10 marks of the file number mentioned on the back of
the identity card issued by the Protocol Directorate - P1.1 to an official staff member of the diplomatic
mission will be sufficient. This number is composed of a character, a slash, two zeros, a slash, two zeros and
three figures respectively. For example: A/00/00112.
- In the case of purchases for « personal use », the full file number of the person concerned must be
mentioned. For example: A/00/00112/AB1234/TI/00.
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