Final Communique Brussels Meeting

Final Communiqué Brussels Meeting

FINAL COMMUNIQUE

The Kimberley Process met in plenary session in Brussels on 25 and 26 April 2001. In all, 38 governments, the World Diamond Council, SADC, the European Commission, the World Customs Organisation, representatives of the chairmen of the UN Sanctions Committees for Angola and Liberia, and representatives from civil society took part.

The State Secretary for Foreign Affairs of Belgium, Mrs Annemie Neyts-Uyttebroeck, formally opened the plenary. In line with the mandate agreed at its meeting in Windhoek in February, the Kimberley Process continued its detailed discussion on minimum acceptable standards for an international certification scheme for rough diamonds. This included presentations on the implementation of the national certification schemes in Angola and Sierra Leone, together with an overview of the preliminary results to date, of a detailed questionnaire on national import and export controls for rough diamonds. The Kimberley Process encourages those countries that have not yet done so, to submit their replies to the questionnaire.

The plenary also considered the preparations by the Kimberley Process Task Force, which at its second meeting earlier in April produced a working paper on key issues and questions for an international certification scheme. The participants in the Brussels meeting went on to consider the output represented by the returned questionnaires, the current national certification schemes and the Task Force working paper, in order to further develop minimum acceptable standards.

To this end, the plenary divided itself into two working groups. The first, led by Namibia and Russia, considered possible common elements for a certificate of origin within the context of a broader certification scheme. An in-depth discussion took place on the specific content of the proposed certificates of origin, while preliminary discussion took place on subjects such as controls to first export, and the necessary legislative frameworks. There was emerging consensus on the common elements of the certificate of origin as a building block for a certification scheme for rough diamonds, as outlined in the document presented by the breakaway working group. This document is attached as Annexure “A”. It was also noted that the proposed certificates of origin would be relevant only to producer countries.

The second group, led by the European Commission and Angola, examined issues from the perspective of the importer, user and re-exporter of rough diamonds, and considered the application of minimum standards to specific issues such as free zones and goods of mixed origin. Also discussed was the possible role of certificates of legitimacy in the proposed international certification scheme.

The working groups will continue to generate discussion documents in preparation for the next meeting in Moscow. The plenary considered and accepted the reports from the working groups. The plenary considered and accepted the reports from the working groups. The plenary agreed to evaluate a set of minimum acceptable standards for certificates, with the undertaking that these and any subsequent, additional elements should be prepared for formal adoption at the Kimberley Process plenary in Moscow in June.

In addition, the plenary mandated the Task Force to continue with the preparatory work for the next meeting in Moscow and to provide documentation to the Kimberley Process participants three weeks before the meeting.

Annexure “A”

WORKING DOCUMENT ON A PROPOSAL FOR THE ADOPTION OF A MODEL CERTIFICATE OF ORIGIN IN THE CONTEXT OF A BROADER INTERNATIONAL CERTIFICATION SCHEME

I. Physical Parameters of proposed Document

1. Size: A4 (297mm x 210mm)

   This is the size of the Certificates of Origin of Angola and Sierra Leone. Also the future CoO’s for Guinea and DRC will be this size.

2. Layout:

   Landscape printing

3. Parts:

   Every Certificate of Origin consists of three (3) parts:

   1. A Certificate of Origin–part (e.g. 210mm x 197mm);
   2. A detachable Import Confirmation Certificate-part (e.g. 210mm x 70mm);
   3. A detachable Security Slip-part (e.g. 210mm x 30mm).
4. Paper

   Security paper (cotton based) with added chemicals to avoid tampering and containing UV activated fibers in the mass of the paper.

5. Security features:
   • Continuous Watermark visible throughout the whole document (3 parts) eventually combined with a ‘placed watermark’ on the CoO-part.
   • Intaglio printed border on Certificate of Origin-part.
   • Microprinting throughout the whole document (3 parts).
   • Optically Variable Inks (OVI) or other optical effect such as hologram (to render copying of the Certificate of Origin impossible).
   • Numbering on all parts in black as well as in UV ink and additional perforated number.
   • UV ink printed special design feature on CoO-part (e.g. coat of arms).
   • Other non-disclosed/specified security features.
6. Numbering/coding:
   • Every Certificate of Origin has a unique sequential number (e.g. 000123) that is printed on all parts of the document (i.e. CoO-part; ICC-part; Security Slip-part).

     ONLY 1 (ONE) PHYSICAL CERTIFICATE OF ORIGIN CAN EXIST BEARING THIS PARTICULAR SEQUENTIAL NUMBER

   • As an additional security feature, every Certificate of Origin has a unique perforated alphanumeric code / number (e.g. A52349) that is visible on the CoO-part and on the ICC-part. The first character of this code may represent the printing series from which the document has been derived.
7. Printshop:

   To avoid that the Certificate of Origin would be perceived as flawed because of the possibility that the printshop would print more –illegal- copies of the same Certificate of Origin, only printshops accredited at the Association of Security Printers can be accepted.

II. Contents

A. CERTIFICATE OF ORIGIN –part

The Certificate of Origin must contain all the relevant information necessary to authenticate the country of origin of a shipment of rough diamonds.

The minimum requirements of the contents are:

• Country of Origin
• Issuing authority or exporting authority
• Description of the goods (e.g. Rough (Uncut) Diamonds)
• Identification of Consignee (Name; Address)
• Identification of Exporter (Name; Address; o.d.)
• Identification of parcel (Parcel code/number; Invoice reference)
• Total Mass (weight) in carats; Total values in US $
• Data of issuance
• Set of authorised stamps and signatures
• Lists quality characteristics (classification; mass/weight in carats; where applicable quantity = number of pieces) on reverse side.

B. IMPORT CONFIRMATION CERTIFICATE –part

The Import Confirmation Certificate is a detachable part of the Certificate of Origin that accompanies the parcel. Objectives:

• To create a closed loop between the exporting and importing authority
• To match imports and exports of both importing and exporting countries
• To create a complete audit trail

Upon importation, the Importing Authority must date, sign and stamp the ICC in due form and return it to the Exporting Authority in the Country of Origin to create the closed loop effect.

For auditing purposes, the Importing Authority must retain a copy of the filled –out ICC-part and keep it on record together with the original copy of the CoO-part.

Upon importation, the Importing Authority must date, sign and stamp the ICC in due form and return it to the Exporting Authority in the Country of Origin to close the loop.

For auditing purposes, the Importing Authority must retain a copy of the completed ICC-part and keep it on record together with the original copy of the CoO-part.

C. SECURITY SLIP –part

The detachable Security Slip will be securely fixed and sealed by the Exporting Authority on the box containing the shipment in such a way that opening the box will automatically rupture and break the Security Slip. It constitutes a physical link between the actual parcel of diamonds and the documents guaranteeing their origin.

• contains same sequentially printed number as on other parts, confirming the authenticity of the parcel
• is to be fixed and sealed on the box containing the diamonds
• guarantees an indelible link between CoO and physical parcel of diamonds

NOT TO BE BROKEN IN TRANSIT – the box may only be opened by the Importing Authority at the Destination