3 JULY 2000. - An Act to approve the Agreement between the Kingdom of Belgium and the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization on the establishment in Belgium of a liaison office of that organization, signed in Brussels on 5 February 1997 (1) (2)
ALBERT II, King of the Belgians,
To all, present and to come, Hi.
The Chambers adopted and We sanction the following:
Article 1
er. This Act regulates a matter referred to in Article 77 of the Constitution.
Art. 2. The Agreement between the Kingdom of Belgium and the United Nations Organization for Food and Agriculture on the establishment in Belgium of a liaison office of this organization, signed in Brussels on 5 February 1997, will emerge its full and complete effect.
Art. 3. This Act produces its effects on 5 February 1997.
Promulgation of this law, let us order that it be clothed with the seal of the State and published by the Belgian Monitor.
Given in Brussels on 3 July 2000.
ALBERT
By the King:
Minister of Foreign Affairs,
L. MICHEL
The Minister of Employment,
Ms. L. ONKELINX
The Minister of the Interior,
A. DUQUESNE
Minister of Social Affairs and Pensions,
F. VANDENBROUCKE
Minister of Justice,
Mr. VERWILGHEN
Minister of Finance,
D. REYNDERS
Seal of the state seal:
Minister of Justice,
Mr. VERWILGHEN
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Notes
(1) Session 1999-2000.
Senate
Documents. - Bill tabled on 25 February 2000, No. 359/1. - Report, no. 359/2. - Text adopted in session and transmitted to the Chamber, No. 359/3.
Annales parliamentarians. - Discussion, meeting of 6 April 2000. Voting, meeting of 6 April 2000.
Room
Documents. - Project transmitted by the Senate, No. 50-578/1. - Report, no. 50-578/2.
Annales parliamentarians. - Discussion, meeting of 10 May 2000. Voting, meeting of 11 May 2000.
(2) Pursuant to Article 4, the Agreement entered into force on 29 November 2001.
Agreement Between the Kingdom of Belgium and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations on the establishment in Belgium of a liaison office of this organization
BELGIUM ROYAUME
UNITED NATIONS ORGANIZATION FOR AGREEMENT AND AGRICULTURE, hereinafter referred to as "FAO"
Considering the importance of providing for specific provisions concerning the privileges and immunities of which the FAO Liaison Office may benefit on Belgian territory,
Desirous of concluding, for this purpose, a supplementary agreement to the Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the Specialized Agencies, adopted in New York on 21 November 1947 by the General Assembly of the United Nations, during its second session, below referred to as the "Convention",
The following agreed:
Article 1
er1. The Director of the FAO Liaison Office shall, in his personal capacity, enjoy diplomatic privileges and immunities, if he was entitled to diplomatic status as an FAO official at the time of his transfer to Brussels.
2. Without prejudice to article VI, section 19 of the Convention, the provisions of paragraph 1 shall not apply to Belgian nationals.
Article 2
The Belgian Government facilitates the entry and stay in Belgium of persons invited to visit the FAO Liaison Office for official purposes, as well as their departure from the country.
Article 3
1. Belgium and FAO believe that their common objective is to guarantee the highest level of social protection for their insured persons.
2. FAO staff members who do not exercise any other profit-making occupation in Belgium than that required by their functions are covered by the social security regime applicable to FAO staff, according to the rules of this regime and in accordance with the guarantees recognized in Belgium, concerning the free choice of the patient, the therapeutic freedom of the care provider and the medical confidentiality.
3. As part of the pursuit of the objective set out in 1 the FAO will ensure, to the extent possible and under conditions to be agreed with Belgium, the affiliation of the members of its staff stationed in Belgium to the Belgian social security system if they are not insured by the Organisation of a social protection floor equivalent to that offered by Belgium.
4. On the basis of information already exchanged, Belgium and FAO agree that their respective social security schemes guarantee their insured persons an equivalent social protection floor.
Article 4
Each Party shall notify the other party of the procedures required by its regulations for the implementation of this Agreement.
In faith, the respective Plenipotentiaries have signed this Agreement.
Done in Brussels on 5 February 1997, in duplicate in French, Dutch and German, the three texts being equally authentic.
For the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization
Director-General
For the Kingdom of Belgium (1)
Ambassador to FAO
Declaration annexed to the headquarters agreement between the Kingdom of Belgium and FAO
As part of the implementation of the social security provisions of the headquarters agreement between the Kingdom of Belgium and the FAO, the signatory Parties undertake to cooperate closely by exchanging information on significant changes to their respective social security systems, which may reduce the level of social protection guaranteed to their insured persons.
Every 5 years, as of the signature of the headquarters agreement, the signatory Parties shall prepare a joint report on the evaluation of their cooperation in this area.
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Note
(1) This signature also involves the French Community, the Flemish Community, the German-speaking Community, the Walloon Region, the Flemish Region and the Brussels-Capital Region.
