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The AWDC Security Office (AWDC SO) and the Antwerp Local Police (LPA) work closely together to ensure the safety and security of the Antwerp diamond industry and community. Some matters of crucial importance were resolved as a result of this successful collaboration.
In the context of the "Integrated Anti-Tiger Kidnapping Program" (IATKP), AWDC Security Office announces the following monthly Anti-Tiger Kidnapping briefing, which will take place on Thursday April 23, 2015 from 11 AM – 12 noon in the Lounge of the AWDC building on the 9th floor. This briefing is addressed to CEOs, middle management and staff working in the Antwerp diamond sector.
There are several physical threats applicable to Antwerp diamond companies: fraud, theft, switching, robbery, burglary, tiger kidnapping … For a couple of months now, AWDC SO has observed another increasing threat: cyber crime. Examples of cyber crime include, but are not limited to: email hacks, caller ID fraud, money exchange fraud, invoice fraud, bank transfer fraud, malware attacks …
!! New!! With the S-ADA Security Awareness briefing, AWDC Security Office announces its newest monthly meeting for the benefit of CEOs, GMs and diamond brokers.
On Tuesday, 28 April at 11 a.m., AWDC will organize a seminar on Immigration & Social Security in the AWDC building.
Taking into account the many business travelers the diamond sector welcomes to Antwerp every year, Be Welcome will emphasize the recent new legislation that came into force on 2 March 2015, as well as the basic legal requirements for having non-EEA nationals work and reside temporarily in Belgium.
The importance of being compliant with Belgian legislation cannot be stressed enough as the competent authorities are strictly enforcing and will continue to enforce these new regulations, including more inspections, in the near future.
In the context of the budgetary control, the Federal Government has decided to introduce a new tax system for the diamond industry. As a result of this tax regime, Belgian diamond traders will be taxed on their turnover instead of the profits from their diamond trading activities. The government will further develop the technical details of this new legislation in the coming weeks.
The Diamond Development Initiative (DDI) is pleased to announce that the Antwerp World Diamond Centre (AWDC) has once again made a significant contribution. This year’s grant will be the third donation from the Centre in support of DDI’s efforts to bring development to artisanal mining communities. Ari Epstein, CEO of the Antwerp World Diamond Centre, said, “AWDC supports DDI because it is working at a primary source of the diamond pipeline, among people who are an important but too often forgotten part of our industry.”
Today, the AWDC will participate for the second time in the Roularta Job Fair to promote “Antwerp Diamond Jobs”. The previous edition was a rousing success with 1,500 visitors to the AD Jobs booth. AWDC hopes to surpass this number during the second edition.
