TITLE II COOPERATION WITH THE INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT
CHAPITRE V OTHER FORMS OF COOPERATION
SECTION V POSTPONEMENT OF EXECUTION AND DENIAL OF REQUESTS FOR ASSISTANCE IN CERTAIN SPECIFIC CASES

Article 31
In accordance with article 93, paragraph 4 of the Statute, if the central authority has serious grounds for considering that the execution of a request for assistance may prejudice national security, it shall inform the Court immediately. The central authority may decide to suspend any act required to execute a request pending a determination by the competent national authority, in accordance with the law in respect of a request to provide or disclose evidence relating to national security. As soon as the central authority decides to suspend the execution of a request for assistance, it shall enter into consultations with the Court, pursuant to article 72, paragraph 5 of the Statute, in order to consider all reasonable steps to resolve the matter by cooperative means. In accordance with article 72, paragraph 6 of the Statute, once all possible reasonable steps have been taken to resolve the matter through cooperative means, the central authority shall notify the Court of the fact that the request cannot be executed without prejudicing Belgian national security interests.