Belgium Operator CPC (ITLB) flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

CMR limitation amount

Under the CMR Convention the carrier's liability is limited to 8.33 SDR per kilogram of gross weight of the goods lost or damaged, unless a higher value was declared.

Four validity conditions

Belgian contract law requires consent, capacity, a lawful and certain object, and a legitimate cause or interest for a contract to be valid under the 2022 Civil Code reform.

KBO/BCE registration

The Crossroads Bank for Enterprises is the Belgian register where every company must be enrolled before trading; failure can expose directors to personal liability.

Daily driving limit

Under Regulation 561/2006 a driver may drive at most 9 hours per day, extendable to 10 hours twice per week, with a two-week total not exceeding 90 hours.

45-minute break rule

After 4.5 hours of driving the driver must take a 45-minute break, which may be split into a 15-minute and a 30-minute period taken in that order.

Weekly rest requirement

A driver must take a regular weekly rest of 45 hours, reducible to 24 hours with equivalent compensation taken before the end of the third following week.

Break-even in kilometres

Break-even distance equals total fixed costs divided by contribution per kilometre, where contribution is revenue per kilometre minus variable cost per kilometre.

Days sales outstanding

DSO is calculated as trade receivables divided by turnover, multiplied by 365; it measures the average number of days needed to collect payment from customers.

Small company thresholds

A Belgian company is small if it does not exceed two of three thresholds: 6 million euro turnover, 4 million euro balance sheet total and 50 employees.

Financial standing requirement

An operator must demonstrate own capital of at least 9,000 euro for the first vehicle and 5,000 euro for each additional vehicle to obtain a Community licence.

Cabotage cooling-off period

After three cabotage operations within seven days following an international delivery, the operator must wait four days before further cabotage in that member state.

Good repute condition

The operator and transport manager must have no serious criminal convictions or repeated transport infringements; loss of repute can lead to licence withdrawal.

Maximum authorised mass

In Belgium a five-axle articulated combination may not exceed 40 tonnes, or 44 tonnes for combined transport, with axle loads capped at 10 to 12 tonnes.

Tachograph calibration interval

A digital tachograph must be calibrated every two years by an approved workshop; the calibration seal must remain intact and tampering is a criminal offence.

Load securing forces

EN 12195-1 requires cargo to be secured against forward forces of 0.8g and rearward and lateral forces of 0.5g during transport.

DAP versus DDP

Under Incoterms 2020, DAP requires the seller to deliver to the named place with the buyer clearing import, while DDP places import clearance on the seller.

CMR consignment note status

The CMR consignment note is prima facie evidence of the contract and of the goods' condition at loading, but it is not a negotiable document of title.

ABC stock analysis

ABC analysis classifies warehouse stock by turnover; fast-moving A items are stored closest to dispatch, while slow-moving C items are placed further away.

ADR tunnel categories

Dangerous goods are assigned tunnel restriction categories A to E; category A prohibits all dangerous goods and category E permits most except certain class 1 and 7 goods.

ADR certificate validity

The driver's ADR vocational training certificate is valid for five years; additional specialised training is required for tank transport and class 7 radioactive material.

ADR transport document

The ADR transport document must state the UN number, proper shipping name, class, packing group and quantity, and must be kept in the cab during transport.

Customs transaction value

Customs value is the price actually paid or payable for the goods, adjusted to include transport and insurance costs up to the place of importation in the EU.

T1 transit procedure

The T1 procedure moves non-Union goods under external transit; a guarantee covers potential duties and the document must be presented at departure and destination offices.

EORI number

The Economic Operators Registration and Identification number is mandatory for all customs operations and identifies the operator within the EU customs system.

Prescription of contractual claims

Under the 2022 Civil Code, general contractual claims prescribe after ten years, while certain consumer and business-to-business claims prescribe within two years or less.

Working time directive cap

Directive 2002/15/EC limits average weekly working time for mobile road transport workers to 48 hours over a four-month reference period, including driving and other duties.

Fuel surcharge clause

A fuel surcharge clause adjusts freight rates according to a published fuel index; it must be transparent and objectively linked to actual fuel price movements.

Community licence carriage

The Community licence must be carried in the vehicle and a certified copy kept for each vehicle; inspectors may demand presentation at any roadside check.

Speed limiter requirement

Trucks over 3.5 tonnes must be fitted with a speed limiter set to 90 km/h under Directive 92/6/EEC, and Belgium enforces this limit on motorways.

Freight forwarder liability

A forwarder acting as agent is not liable as carrier; when acting as principal or contracting carrier it assumes full CMR liability for the goods.

ADR segregation rule

The ADR segregation table in section 7.5.2 requires separation of incompatible goods, for example oxidising substances of class 5.1 from flammable liquids of class 3.

ATA carnet use

The ATA carnet simplifies temporary admission of professional equipment and samples by replacing national customs documents with a single internationally valid booklet and guarantee.