Coffining and transport within the Benelux
Cremated ashes can be transported internationally. Non-cremated remains require distinctions: within Benelux, to/from Strasbourg Agreement countries, or elsewhere.
- bhg.procedurepage.audience: Residents in Benelux countries
- bhg.procedurepage.duration: n/a
- bhg.procedurepage.documents: Burial or cremation permit in Dutch, French, or German stating name, date of death, and destination
- bhg.procedurepage.mode: Digital
- bhg.procedurepage.validity: Dutch, French, German
Cremated ashes may be freely transported internationally.
A distinction must be made between the following categories with regard to the encoffining and the transport of non-cremated human remains to another country:
- Encoffining and transport within the Benelux;
- Encoffining and transport from or to one of the countries bound by the Strasbourg Agreement;
- Encoffining and transport to another country.
Encoffining and transport within the Benelux
- This is governed by the Royal Decree of 8 March 1967 regulating the transport of corpses within the Benelux (Belgian Official Gazette of 23 June 1967).
- In accordance with Article 3 of this Royal Decree, corpses must be transported in impervious coffins, with a hearse or other appropriate means of transport and under the required conditions of hygiene and propriety. Only wreaths and flowers are permitted to be transported together with the corpse.
- The use of the necessary disinfectants is mandatory if death is attributable to a quarantinable disease.
- Article 2 of the Royal Decree of 8 March 1967 provides that a permit for burial or cremation issued by the competent authority in any one of the three Benelux countries serves as a 'laissez-passer' for the transport of a corpse.
- The burial or cremation permit issued in Dutch, French or German must state the name of the deceased, the date of death and the destination of the corpse.
