BELGIUM - CONGO (Democratic Republic) : agreement on social security - general information

You are leaving Belgium and are going to live in the Democratic Republic of Congo or you are leaving the Democratic Republic of Congo and are going to live in Belgium.

Before leaving, you have to inquire of the competent institutions what formalities you should accomplish in order to preserve your social security benefits or in order to receive social security benefits.

Belgium has concluded a bilateral agreement on social security with Congo. This agreement may apply to your own situation, the situation of your family members and the situation of your survivors.

The agreement between Belgium and Congo regulates the applicability of the social security legislations of Belgium and Congo.
The agreement between Belgium and Congo only applies to persons who are or who have been employed as seafarers aboard or by a merchant ship registered in Belgium and/or in Congo and flying the flag of that country.

If you start working aboard a ship flying the Congolese flag, the social security legislation of your country of residence will apply to you.

If you start working aboard a ship flying the Belgian flag, the social security legislation of your country of residence will apply to you.

Consequently, the agreement only applies under certain conditions:

1. You have to live in Belgium or in Congo.
2. You have to have the Congolese or the Belgian nationality.

The agreement between Belgium and Congo guarantees that :

• you will have the same rights and obligations in the country where you work as a seafarer of this country;
• periods of activity in both countries will be taken into account for the entitlement to social security benefits;
• you will be able, under certain conditions, to receive social security benefits from your country of origin when you live in the other country;
• your periods of activity in both countries will be totalised for your entitlement to social security benefits and for the calculation of the amount of these benefits, e.g. for the retirement pensions.

The agreement between Belgium and Congo bears on the following benefits:

• sickness benefits (including maternity and paternity) invalidity benefits
• benefits for accidents at work
• benefits for occupational diseases
• family benefits
• annual vacation
• retirement pensions
• survivor's pensions.

You will find more information on "find information", by selecting the criteria that apply to your situation.