Public Affairs

In the context of a cooperation between AWDC and CIFAL Flanders | UNITAR, CIFAL Flanders | UNITAR and AWDC are intending  to conduct a questionnaire (based on a checklist) to gain insight into the positive contributions of, and potential challenges for the Antwerp diamond industry in achieving the 17 Sustainable Development Goals specified in the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. 

From 11 through 14 December, the City of Antwerp, in the presence of Mayor Bart De Wever, is organizing a mission to Seoul. One of the most important objectives of this mission is to promote the Antwerp diamond industry, which is why the Antwerp World Diamond Centre is a partner to this mission. South Korea is a growing market for polished diamonds, yet Antwerp’s market share in the country is currently rather limited. It is therefore high time to strengthen our commercial ties.

On 26 January 2016, the Official Journal of the European Union published that Bulgaria is no longer a KP authority in Europe. Therefore, only 6 European KP authorities are now empowered to verify import and export shipments of rough diamonds, namely Antwerp (Belgium), Bucharest (Romania), Idar-Oberstein (Germany), Lisbon (Portugal), London (United Kingdom) and Prague (Czech Republic).

A specific contact point for large companies, which they may turn to for questions concerning taxation and general information, has been set up within the FPS Finance. This service, the Industry Coordination Department, is available to assist you with the following taxation matters:

• Corporate tax
• Legal entities tax
• VAT
• Payroll tax
• Withholding tax

On Thursday 29 October, AWDC organized the Belgian Diplomats Working Lunch in The Hotel in Brussels in the framework of the diplomatic contact days at the end of October. During this networking lunch, AWDC gave a short presentation to approximately 40 diplomats about the current state of affairs in the Belgian diamond industry and the geographical priorities with regard to the rough and polished diamond trade.

Take a look at the pictures here.

Last week, Andrew Bone, Executive Director of the Responsible Jewellery Council, delivered a presentation on the RJC at the Antwerp World Diamond Centre. He focused on the objectives and his future expectations for the organization. He also addressed the impact that the RJC has on diamond businesses and how RJC certification relates to current issues such as access to financing. Click on the link below to download the presentation.

On 30 October, Andrew Bone, the recently appointed Executive Director of the Responsible Jewellery Council (http://www.responsiblejewellery.com), will deliver a presentation on the RJC at the Antwerp World Diamond Centre. The RJC brings together more than 600 members of the jewelry industry that commit to best practices for human rights, labor rights, environmental impact, product disclosure and many other important issues in the jewelry supply chain. 

ALROSA Vice President Andrey Polyakov was elected World Diamond Council (WDC) Vice President at the WDC's annual general meeting on 12 & 13 October in Moscow. Polyakov will become WDC President in 2016. As a member of the World Diamond Council, AWDC would like to congratulate Mr. Andrey Polyakov on his election.

The Antwerp World Diamond Centre (AWDC) and the Ambassador of Belgium to the Russian Federation, H.E. Alex Van Meeuwen, are delighted to invite you to an exclusive meet and greet in the presence of the Governor of Antwerp, Mrs. Cathy Berx and the President of ALROSA, Mr. Andrey Zharkov at the residence of the Belgian Ambassador in Moscow on Wednesday 9 December 2015 at 7 pm. Registration is mandatory.

Despite the fact an Amnesty International team visited the Antwerp World Diamond Centre, including the Antwerp Diamond Office which supervises all imports and exports of diamonds to and from Antwerp, and was able to witness how the strict controls on imports of rough are conducted in Antwerp, the Antwerp World Diamond Centre cannot but conclude the report contains factual errors in this regard.