Abstract
Since the second half of the last century an increasing number of international and European rules have been adopted for the protection of cultural heritage. This transnational legal framework is applied by the Belgian State, even though the degree of applicability varies according to two criteria: the immediacy of application and the direct effect (also called direct applicability). The cross-cutting question through the analysis of this panel of rules imposing regulatory duties on States is how these rules have been applied in Belgian law and whether the burden required of the competent public authorities has increased in this area. It is important to note at this stage that most of these conventions are weak in terms of concrete implementation mechanisms and often have few binding monitoring bodies (except for the European Union). The obligations set out in these are not always precise but have nevertheless generally exerted some influence on Belgian legislators. The aim is therefore not to list every obligation contained in each ratified convention, but rather to measure the impact of the convention and the degree of constraint (notably through direct effect) that accompanies it.
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Notes
- 1.
Law of 10 August 1960 approving the following international acts: (a) Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict, Regulations for its Execution, Final Act and Resolutions; (b) Protocol for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict, signed at The Hague on 14 May 1954, M.B., 16 November 1960.
- 2.
Act of 13 May 2003 approving the Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property, adopted in Paris on 14 November 1970, M.B., 19 June 2009. Belgium added a declaration upon ratification: “For Belgium, the expression ‘cultural goods’ shall be interpreted as being limited to the objects listed in the Annex to Council Regulation (EEC) No 3911/92 of 9 December 1992, as amended, on the export of cultural goods and in the Annex to Council Directive 93/7/EEC of 15 March 1993, as amended, on the return of cultural objects unlawfully removed from the territory of a Member State”.
- 3.
It was approved by the three Regions and entered into force in Belgian law on 24 October 1996 (M.B., 6 November 1996).
- 4.
Belfries of Belgium and France (1999), Flemish Beguinages (1998), Cathedral of Our Lady of Tournai (2000), Complex Maison-Ateliers-Musée Plantin-Moretus (2005), Major residences of the architect Victor Horta (Brussels) (2000), The Grand-Place of Brussels (1998), The historical centre of Bruges (2000), The four lifts of the Canal du Centre and their site, La Louvière and Le Roeulx (Hainaut) (1998), The Architectural Work of Le Corbusier, an exceptional contribution to the Modern Movement (2016), Neolithic flint mines of Spiennes (Mons) (2000), Palais Stoclet (2009), Major Mining Sites of Wallonia (2012). The natural site of the Soignes Forest, part of the Primary Beech Forests of the Carpathians and other European regions, was inscribed in July 2017.
- 5.
M.B. 25 October 2013; After obtaining the following assents as it is again a mixed treaty: See the Decree of the Flemish Community/Flemish Region of 16 July 2010 (M.B. of 9 August 2010), the Decree of the French Community of 19 April 2012 (M.B. of 26 June 2012), the Decree of the German-speaking Community of 19 March 2012 (M.B. of 18 April 2012), the Decree of the Walloon Region of 26 April 2012 (M.B. of 22 May 2012) and the Ordinance of the Brussels-Capital Region of 4 September 2008 (M.B. of 30 September 2008—Ed. 5).
- 6.
Law of 4 April 2014 on the protection of underwater heritage, M.B., 18 April 2014.
- 7.
Flemish Decree of 10 February 2006 assenting to the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, done at Paris on 17 October 2003, M.B. 14 March 2006; Decree of the French Community of 17 February 2006 assenting to the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, adopted on 17 October 2003 and done at Paris on 3 November 2003, M.B. 15 March 2006; Decree of the German-speaking Community of 13 March 2006 approving the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, done in Paris on 17 October 2003, M.B. 10 April 2006.
- 8.
Decree to support the exploitation of cultural heritage in Flanders (cited as: Cultural Heritage Decree of 24 February 2017), M.B., 4 April 2017 and effective as of 14 April 2017.
- 9.
Act of 19 July 2013 assenting to the Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions and the Annex, adopted in Paris on 20 October 2005, M.B. 30 October 2013.
- 10.
See Decree of the Flemish Community/Flemish Region of 6 May 2011 (M.B. of 15 June 2011), Decree of the French Community of 2 June 2006 (M.B. of 7 August 2006), Decree of the German-speaking Community of 30 October 2006 (M.B. of 4 January 2007), Decree of the Walloon Region of 10 November 2006 (M.B. of 28 November 2006), Order of the Brussels-Capital Region of 3 May 2007 (M.B. of 21 May 2007).
- 11.
European Cultural Convention of 19 December 1954 entered into force on 5 May 1955; ratification by Belgium on 11 May 1955 and entry into force on the same day.
- 12.
Ratified by Belgium on 17 September 1992, following the assent law of 8 June 1992 (M.B., 29 October 1992).
- 13.
Ratified by Belgium on 8 October 2010 (entry into force on 9 April 2011), following the assent law of 23 June 2008 (M.B. 30 March 2011) and the decree of the Flemish Community/Flemish Region of 11 June 2010 (M.B. 19 July 2010), the Decree of the French-speaking Community of 17 December 2003 (M.B. 21 January 2004), the Decree of the German-speaking Community of 28 January 2008 (M.B. 22 February 2008), the Decree of the Walloon Region of 10 April 2003 (M.B. 4 March 2004 and 5 March 2004) and the Order of the Brussels-Capital Region of 20 May 1994 (M.B. 3 October 2002).
- 14.
Ratified by Belgium on 28 October 2004 (entered into force on 1 February 2005), following the assent law of 15 June 2004 (M.B. 24 November 2004) and the Decree of the French Community of 19 December 2002 (M.B. 22 January 2003), the Decree of the Flemish Community/Flemish Region of 18 July 2003 (M.B. 5 September 2003—Ed. 2), the Decree of the German-speaking Community of 17 May 2004 (M.B. 30 July 2004), the Decree of the Walloon Region of 20 December 2001 (M.B. 30 January 2002), the Ordinance of the Brussels-Capital Region of 13 February 2003 (M.B. 5 May 2003).
- 15.
Not yet ratified by Belgium: the assents given to date are almost complete (the Federal State is missing): decree of the Flemish Region of 14 February 2014 assenting to the Council of Europe Framework Convention on the Value of Cultural Heritage for Society, signed in Faro on 27 October 2005 (M.B. 24 March 2014); decree of the Walloon Region of 2 July 2015 assenting to the Council of Europe Framework Convention on the Value of Cultural Heritage for Society, done at Faro on 27 October 2005 (M.B. 14 July 2015); decree of 2 July 2015 assenting, with regard to the competences of the French Community, the exercise of which has been transferred to the Walloon Region, to the Council of Europe Framework Convention on the Value of Cultural Heritage for Society, done at Faro on 27 October 2005 (M.B. 14 July 2015); Decree of 2 November 2015 assenting to the Council of Europe Framework Convention on the Value of Cultural Heritage for Society, done at Faro on 27 October 2005 (M.B. 2 December 2015); Ordinance of the Brussels-Capital Region of 11 May 2017 assenting to the Council of Europe Framework Convention on the Value of Cultural Heritage for Society, done at Faro on 27 October 2005 and signed in Strasbourg on 25 June 2012 (M.B. 30 May 2017).
- 16.
M.B., December 21, 1996.
- 17.
Act of 4 May 2016 amending the Act of 28 October 1996 on the restitution of cultural property unlawfully removed from the territory of certain foreign States, M.B., 23 May 2016.
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de Clippele, MS. (2021). International and European Obligations on the Belgian State to Protect Cultural Heritage. In: Niglio, O., Lee, E.Y.J. (eds) Transcultural Diplomacy and International Law in Heritage Conservation. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-0309-9_12
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