Rules

Chapter 1. Awarding of the Title.

a. Award Process

• The title Warrant Holder of the Court of Belgium may be awarded to a private individual or to a person holding a high-level position in a company who has requested consideration by letter addressed at the Keeper of the King’s Civil List.
• This letter contains all the information necessary to evaluate the basis for the application as well as all required supporting documentation.

b. Conditons of Award

• The title of Warrant Holder of the Court of Belgium shall be conferred by the King following an examination of the request and upon consultation with the Keeper of the Civil List, who if necessary shall consult with the non-profit organisation, the Warrant Holders of the Court of Belgium.
• The reason for the decision shall not be provided.
• The opinion of the Keeper of the Civil List shall be based upon various objective criteria, without restricting the consideration of other factors:
  • The applicant shall fulfill all conditions of the highest honourability;
  • Individuals or companies must possess an operational headquarters and be listed by the Register of Commerce of Belgium;
  • Applicants shall have furnished supplies to the Civil List of the King and/or an adequate quantity and quality of services for a period of at least five years;
  • Only products or services delivered directly to the Civil List of the King shall be considered. Nevertheless, in certain cases, indirect deliveries (for example, via subcontractors or through bodies other than the Civil List) shall be eligible for consideration based upon a specific assessment of the service rendered to the King’s Household.

c. Title Holder

The title, Warrant Holder of the Court of Belgium, is awarded in the form of a certificate:

• bestowed nominally and personally to an individual or to a person providing a high managerial function within a company, provided that this person personally provides the liaison with the Royal Household (the title holder).
• if such is not the case, in a non-nominal manner to the individual providing top leadership to the company, provided that a representative of the company is also nominally designated to personally provide the liaison with the Royal Household (functional title holder).

These designated individuals or company officials shall perform the responsibilities inherent in the awarding of the title and recognition of these responsibilities will be formalised through an agreement in writing signed by the persons involved (document summarised in Appendix 1).

d. Validity of the Title

• The title is granted for a renewable period of five years. At the end of the five-year period, the titleholder shall not be required to again file an application: the file is reexamined by the Indendant of the Civil List of the King, who if necessary shall consult with the Warrant Holders of the Court organisation. The titleholder shall be advised by the Keeper whether or not they shall retain the title. The decision is never justified and may not be appealed.
• Outside of this five-year period the title may be revoked at any time without justification. In any case, it becomes void under the following circumstances:
  • Change of reign;
  • change of nominally designated company representative (title holder or functional title holder) ;
  • changes within the company (bankruptcy, dissolution, cessation of operations, liquidation) ;
  • serious breach of regulations ;
• In the case of a significant change in the body of shareholders, the Keeper of the Civil List reserves the right to reexamine the continuation of the title.

e. Timing

A reexamination of new requests as well as the five-year review shall be carried out in such a way as to lead to an annual decision during the first two weeks of November. An updated list of Warrant Holders shall be published by November 15th of each year.

Chapter 2. Privileges

a. Awarding of the title does not grant the title holder to monopoly rights or to the right of continuation as a supplier ;

b. The title of Warrant Holder of the Court of Belgium is formalised through the awarding of the title. The title is free of charge and belongs neither to the title holder nor to the company and shall be returned to the Civil List in all cases of revocation. It may not be reproduced without the express autorisation of the Keeper of the Civil List ;

c. The title of "Warrant Holder of the Court of Belgium" confers upon the title holder the right to utlise the Royal Royal Coat of Arms under the following conditions:

• General Conditions :
  • The Royal Coat of Arms utilised shall conform to the model provided by Warrant Holders of the Court in every aspect;
  • Preferably it shall be used in combination with one or more of the Belgian national languages in conformity with the models provided by the non-profit organisation of the Warrant Holders;
  • It shall be used with discretion and in good taste;
  • its use shall not lead to any confusion between the holder of the title and any other firm;
  • No other royal emblem (crown, monogram, etc.) shall be used;
  • Under no circumstances shall it be used as a trademark;
  • It shall contain the note, "Warrant Holders of the Court of Belgium", along with the name of the title holder or the company;
  • The proportions must be appropriate to the context;
  • There shall be no superimposition or alteration. ;
• The Royal Coat of Arms may be used on products, that is, articles that are manufactured and distributed solely under the name of the person or company holding the title, or under its trademark (as an example, bottles, and packets are products and not packages) :
  • Title holders shall thus be grouped into two categories : that of Producers and Manufacturers (category P) and that of Wholesalers, Distributors, Resellers and Providers of Services (category D). Only title holders of the particular category shall be authorised to use the Coat of Arms on their products. In terms of products sold by Category D companies, the general guideline is non-use of the Coat of Arms on commercialised products. Limited autorisation may nevertheless be granted by the Keeper of the Civil List, particularly for products supplied in substantial quantities to the Royal Household. ;
  • The Royal Coat of Arms may only appear once on a product. ;
• The Royal Coat of Arms may be used on the packaging :
  • A package is a bag, wrapper, etc. specifically designed to protect a product. ;
  • The Royal Coat of Arms may appear no more than twice, with only one visible at a time (depending upon the angle of view).
• The Royal Coat of Arms may be used on commercial and administrative documents. :
  • The Coats of Arms may only appear once on these items. ;
• The Royal Coat of Arms may be used in advertising materials. :
  • The Coats of Arms may only appear once on these items. ;
  • Great prudence shall be required and the advice of the Warrant Holders organisation on these matters is particularly useful.
• The Royal Coat of Arms may be used on buildings. :
  • The Royal Coat of Arms used shall conform to the models provided by the Warrant Holders non-profit organisation ;
  • Only buildings that belong to or are rented directly by the executive headquarters in Belgian, both within Belgium and abroad, shall bear the Royal Coat of Arms.
• The coat of arms may be used on delivery vehicles as well as those used by transport companies for business purposes. :
  • Authorisation of the project is nevertheless subject to review by the Keeper of the Civil List ;
  • Coats of Arms may appear no more than twice on a vehicle (with only one visible at a time) ;
• The Royal Coat of Arms may be used in or on an exposition booth at a trade show, provided that it is operated directly by the title holder.

Chapter 3. Ethical Guidelines

a. General Guidelines

Observe the general obligation of reserve and absolute discretion with regard to relations with the Royal Family and the Court.

b. In particular, the title holder must avoid:

• association with articles in the press specially covering the Royal Family ;
• the use of photographs of the Royal Family without express authorisation of the Keeper of the Civil List ;
• making reference to the Royal Family verbally or through images or to a service rendered or deliveries made to the Royal Family;
• making reference to the private lives of members of the Royal Family or to any product used by a member of the Royal Family ;

c. It is preferable that the title holder refer all inquiries by the media involving the title to the non-profit organisation, and defer to its opinion on all ethical questions ;

d. Title holders shall also ensure that the quality of service does not end at the Palace gates, but applies equally to all customers.

Chapter 4. The Association of Warrant Holders of the Royal Court of Belgium.

a. The Association of Warrant Holders of the Court of Belgium was established in 1988 and seeks ideally to bring together all title holders (or functional title holders) of the certificate. ;

b. Its objectives are:

• defending the interests of title holders of the certificate,
• bringing together these individuals and stimulating their cohesiveness as a group;
• promoting their interests, their renown and the advancement of the association and its members,
• preventing and/or pursuing any misuse of the title ;

c. Title holders are not required to be affiliated with the organisation. Nevertheless, whether they become members or not, it is imperative that they register with the association in accordance with its procedures;

d. The non-profit organisation is the authorised channel of communication between title holders and the Royal Household and as such may be considered as the authorised centre for advice and consulting ;

e. The Keeper of the Civil List shall consult with the association on any manner deemed necessary, particularly for the examination of new candidates or during five-year reviews;

f. Whether or not they are members of the organisation, title holders will discover it to be an appropriate forum for discussing all issues related to rights and regulations associated with the title.