ROYAL DECREE FEBRUARY
28, 1999
ROYAL
DECREE MARCH 19, 1999
For legislation concerning the Indemnification
Commission and indemnification claims, please visit the website of the Prime
Minister, under the heading "Jewish
Community Indemnification Commission"
Founding
of a Study Commission into the fate of the Belgian Jewish Community's assets,
which were plundered or surrendered or abandoned during the war 1940-1945 (Moniteur
belge of July 12, 1997), as adapted by te Royal Decree of October 28, 1997.
Art. 2. The Study Commission consists out of 13 members, appointed by the
Prime Minister: Art. 3. The secretariat of the Study Commission will be supplied by the Prime
Minister, or, if necessary, by other members of the Government. Art. 4. The Study Commission should draw up its working regulations for the
Prime Minister's approval within one month of its foundation. TOP Art. 2. The cell will give its support to the Study Commission on Jewish
Assets on matters concerning assessment and documentation.
Art. 3. The work of the cell in the recuperation of plundered assets will
be monitored by the staff of the Service of Economical Relations of the Department
of Economic Affairs.
TOP Art. 2. A Study Commission has been set up - to be at the services of the
Prime Minister - to investigate the fate of the Belgian Jewish Community's assets,
which were plundered or surrendered or abandoned during the Second World War;
and to give a full report to the Government within two years. An intermediate
report will be issued within six months.
Art. 3. The mandate of the Study Commission can be extended by the King for
a further two years should this be deemed necessary.
Art. 4. The Study Commission can draw upon personal information, when this
is necessary for the execution of her mission. Art. 5. Regardless of any other definition of law, the Study Commission can,
through the authority of the President, gain access to all data deemed of use
to the Commission's work.
Art. 6. Any person who conceals, destroys, transfers abroad or has transferred
relevant documents or other materials, or obstructs the consultation of those,
will be subject to a term of imprisonment of five and ten years.
Art. 7. The King will define further rules concerning the composition and
operation of the Study Commission.
Art. 8. The Royal Decree of July 6, 1997 concerning the foundation of a Study
Commission into the fate of the Belgian Jewish Community's assets, which were
plundered or surrendered or abandoned during the war 1940-1945, subsequently
changed by the Royal Decree of October 28, 1997, will be abolished.
TOP Art. 2. The secretariat of the Study Commission will be supplied by the Prime
Minister, or, if necessary by other members of the Government. Art. 3. The Study Commission should draw up its working regulations for the
Prime Minister's approval within one month of its foundation. Art. 4. The members, the experts and the staff are bound to confidentiality
with regard to information gained within the activities of the Study Commission. Art. 5. Article 4 does not prevent the Commission to : - spread identification data that can trace victims of the anti-jewish measurements
taken by the German authorities, or their heirs, if it is not possible to trace
them in any other way; - share information with victims of the anti-jewish measurements taken by
the German authorities or with their heirs, apart from that particular information
that might damage others in their personal life. TOP Art. 2. The data acquired can only be used within the activities of the Study
Commission. They can not be announced to others. Art. 3. The individuals meant by article 1, part 1, can only use the identification
number of the State Register of natural persons as a number of identification: Art. 4. A list of individuals, as meant in article 1, part 2, with mention
of their grade and function, will be handed over to the Commission for the protection
of personal life. Art. 5. The Prime Minister, the Minister of Internal Affairs and the Minister
of Justice will be in charge of the enforcement of this decision.
ROYAL DECREE JULY 6, 1997 (Services of the Prime Minister)
Article 1. A Study Commission - to be at the services of the Prime Minister
- is being founded to investigate the fate of the Belgian Jewish Community's
assets, which were appropriated, lost or abandoned during the Second World War.
It will be referred to as "The Study Commission on Jewish Assets".
Its aim is to clarify the fate of the abandoned property and to give a full
report of this to the government within two years. An intermediate report will
be issued within six months.
The Study Commission can extend its work for a further two years should this
be necessary.
- one president;
- five high civil servants, representing the departments of Justice, Foreign
Affairs, Foreign Trade and Development, Finance, Economic and Social Affairs,
Public Health and Environment (Service of War Victims);
- one Emeritus Magistrate
- two historians
- four representatives of Jewish organisations in Belgium
The members are appointed for the duration of the Commissions work.
The operation costs will be met by the budget of the Prime Minister.
The members and experts consulted have the right to travel and living expenses.
The Commission can invite the advice of any expert, and request any study necessary
for its work.
The members and experts are bound to confidentiality with regard to information
gained within the activities of the Study Commission.
The Study Commission can, through its President, demand information or documents
necessary for her mission from all public services or financial institutions.
ROYAL DECREE OCTOBER 14, 1998 (Department of
Economic Affairs)
The Founding at the Department of Economic Affairs
of a cell for the recuperation of the assets plundered during the Second World
War in Belgium. (Moniteur belge of April 9, 1999)
Article 1. A cell - to be placed at the services of the Department of Economic
Affairs - will be founded to take charge of the recuperation of assets plundered
in Belgium during the Second World War.
The Economic Minister will be appointed to represent the interests of the Belgian
State.
LAW JANUARY, 1999 (Department of Justice)
Law concerning the Study Commission into the fate
of the Belgian Jewish Community's assets, which were plundered or surrendered
or abandoned during the war 1940-1945 (Moniteur belge of March 12, 1999)
Article 1. This law regulates a matter as expressed in article 78 of the Constitution
of Law.
It can draw up a database of individuals who were victims of the anti-Jewish
measures taken by the German authorities.
It also has access to the State Register of natural persons and can use the
identification number of this register within the limits, as specified by the
Commission for the protection of personal life.
At the conclusion of the Study Commission's work, all personal information gathered
shall be turned over to the Government who will decide what should be done with
it to protect the individual.
ROYAL DECREE FEBRUARY 28, 1999
(Services of the Prime Minister and Department of Justice)
Royal Decree concerning the composition and operation
of the Study Commission into the fate of the Belgian Jewish Community's assets,
which were plundered or surrendered or abandoned during the war 1940-1945 (Moniteur
belge of March 12, 1999)
Article 1. The Study Commisson - at the Services of the Prime Minister - into
the fate of the Belgian Jewish Community's assets, which were plundered or surrendered
or abandoned during the war 1940-1945, consists out of 13 members, appointed
by the Prime Minister:
- one president;
- five high civil servants, representing the departments of Justice, Foreign
Affairs, Foreign Trade and Development, Finance, Economic and Social Affairs,
Public Health and Environment (Service of War Victims);
- one Emeritus Magistrate;
- two historians;
- four representatives of Jewish organisations in Belgium.
The members are appointed for the duration of the Commissions work.
The operation costs will be met by the budget of the Prime Minister.
The members and experts consulted have the right to travel and living expenses.
The Commission can invite the advice of any expert, and request any study necessary
for its work.
ROYAL DECREE MARCH 19, 1999
(Services of the Prime Minister, Department of Interior and Department of Justice)
Royal Decree in which access is permitted to the
Study Commission into the fate of the Belgian Jewish Community's assets, which
were plundered or surrendered or abandoned during the war 1940-1945, to the State
Register of natural persons and is granted the power to use the identification
number of this register (Moniteur belge April 30, 1999)
Article 1. The Study Commission into the fate of the Belgian Jewish Community's
assets, plundered, surrendered or abandoned during the war 1940-1945, shall be
granted - within the boundaries described in articles 2 to 4 :
1° admission to the data as meant in article 3 concerning the State Register
of natural persons.
2° permission to use the identification number of this register.
The admission and the use of this register is allowed :
a) to the president and to the members of the commission appointed by him;
b) to the historians and the civil servants of level 1 that were supplied by
the Services of the Prime Minister and other departments.
Are not defined as others:
1° those individuals these data relate to, as well as their legal representatives
and their heirs;
2° the assigned Government and institutions.
1° for internal purposes;
2° in their relation with the assigned Government and institutions.
The identification number of the State Register of natural persons is not to
be reproduced on documents that might be passed on to other than the assigned
government and institutions.