{"id":14389,"date":"2026-02-03T19:17:42","date_gmt":"2026-02-03T18:17:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/comiteri.mediartia.com\/the-committees-authority\/faq\/"},"modified":"2026-05-28T13:04:08","modified_gmt":"2026-05-28T11:04:08","slug":"faq","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/comiteri.mediartia.com\/en\/complaints\/faq\/","title":{"rendered":"FAQ"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wpb-content-wrapper\"><p>[vc_row full_width=&#8221;stretch_row&#8221; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1763803345173{margin-bottom: 0px !important;background-color: #276475 !important;}&#8221;][vc_column][vc_column_text css=&#8221;&#8221; el_id=&#8221;TITULO&#8221; el_class=&#8221;TITULOSUPERIORPAGINA&#8221;]<\/p>\n<h4 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">COMPLAINTS<\/span><\/h4>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text]<style>.thegem-te-post-breadcrumbs.thegem-custom-6a2735a24219b1721 .post-breadcrumbs {justify-content: left; text-align: left;}.thegem-te-post-breadcrumbs.thegem-custom-6a2735a24219b1721 .post-breadcrumbs ul {justify-content: left; text-align: left;}.thegem-te-post-breadcrumbs.thegem-custom-6a2735a24219b1721 .post-breadcrumbs ul li {color: #FFFFFF;}.thegem-te-post-breadcrumbs.thegem-custom-6a2735a24219b1721 .post-breadcrumbs ul li a {color: #FFFFFF;}.thegem-te-post-breadcrumbs.thegem-custom-6a2735a24219b1721 .post-breadcrumbs ul li a:hover {color: #FFFFFF;}.thegem-te-post-breadcrumbs.thegem-custom-6a2735a24219b1721 .post-breadcrumbs ul li:last-child {color: #FFFFFF;}<\/style><div class=\"thegem-te-post-breadcrumbs thegem-custom-6a2735a24219b1721\"> <div class=\"post-breadcrumbs\"><ul><li><a href=\"https:\/\/comiteri.mediartia.com\/en\/\">Home<\/a><\/li><\/ul><!-- .breadcrumbs --><\/div> <\/div>[\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row full_width=&#8221;stretch_row&#8221; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1770319384532{margin-bottom: 0px !important;background-color: #3E8E8C !important;}&#8221; el_class=&#8221;SUBTITULO&#8221;][vc_column][vc_column_text css=&#8221;&#8221;]<\/p>\n<h4 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">FAQ<\/span><\/h4>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row full_width=&#8221;stretch_row&#8221; content_placement=&#8221;top&#8221; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1772114179462{margin-bottom: 0px !important;padding-top: 40px !important;}&#8221;][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/4&#8243;][vc_single_image image=&#8221;14388&#8243; img_size=&#8221;full&#8221; css=&#8221;&#8221;][\/vc_column][vc_column width=&#8221;3\/4&#8243;][vc_tta_accordion active_section=&#8221;156346&#8243; collapsible_all=&#8221;true&#8221; el_class=&#8221;QUESTIONSGRAL&#8221;][vc_tta_section title=&#8221;Who can submit a complaint, denunciation or a request to Committee R\/I?&#8221; tab_id=&#8221;1771606079484-e8a00a0b-ee53&#8243;][vc_column_text css=&#8221;&#8221;]Any citizen, whether or not they are a Belgian national or whether their primary residence is in Belgium, may submit a complaint or denunciation to Committee R\/I.<\/p>\n<p>Any civil servant, any person holding a public office and any member of the armed forces directly affected by directives, decisions or their implementation, as well as by the methods or actions of the above-mentioned services, may also submit a complaint or make a denunciation, without having to seek authorisation from their superiors.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=&#8221;What can be the subject of my complaint?&#8221; tab_id=&#8221;1771606079529-f330885c-2fef&#8221;][vc_column_text css=&#8221;&#8221;]The Committee is responsible for handling three categories of complaints. Complaints may concern: <\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>The <strong><em><a href=\"https:\/\/comiteri.mediartia.com\/en\/complaints\/shortcomings-within-a-service\/\">operations <\/a><\/em><\/strong>of State Security, GISS, CUTA or one of its supporting services;<\/li>\n<li>A <strong><em><a href=\"https:\/\/comiteri.mediartia.com\/en\/complaints\/special-intelligence-methods\/\">special intelligence method<\/a><\/em><\/strong> used by State Security or GISS;<\/li>\n<li>The <em><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/comiteri.mediartia.com\/en\/complaints\/processing-of-personal-data\/\">processing of personal data<\/a><\/strong><\/em> carried out in the context of national security.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The Committee&#8217;s responsibilities vary depending on the category of the complaint.<\/p>\n<p>The Committee acts as a <strong>single point of contact<\/strong>. This means that, based on the information it receives from a complainant, the Committee will verify whether the complaint relates to one of these three categories (in other words, if it is responsible for handling the complaint) and, if applicable, whether the complaint is admissible.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=&#8221;What is the difference between a complaint, a denunciation and a request?&#8221; tab_id=&#8221;1779192237081-376ce539-470a&#8221;][vc_column_text css=&#8221;&#8221;]A <strong>complaint <\/strong>is an expression of discontent by an individual who is <strong>directly affected<\/strong> by a situation, action, behaviour or shortcoming on the part of State Security, GISS, CUTA or one of its supporting services acting in this capacity.<br \/>\nA <strong>denunciation <\/strong>is an individual\u2019s notification of facts relating to an illegal act or operation on the part of an intelligence or security service by which the individual is indirectly affected and for which they <strong>have no direct personal interest<\/strong> as to whether this is rectified.<\/p>\n<p>Both in the case of a complaint and a denunciation, the objective is to report a problem and obtain a solution or improvement.<\/p>\n<p>A <strong>request <\/strong>can be made by anyone who believes that data protection laws have not been respected during the processing of their personal data carried out in the context of national security.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=&#8221;In what capacity is Committee R\/I involved?&#8221; tab_id=&#8221;1771606145468-5f313969-ca19&#8243;][vc_column_text css=&#8221;&#8221;]You can contact Committee R\/I:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>in its capacity as a <strong>parliamentary review body<\/strong>, overseeing the operation, response, action or failure to act of State Security, GISS, CUTA or its supporting services acting in this capacity;<\/li>\n<li>in its capacity as a <strong>judicial body<\/strong> concerning the execution (i.e.: the legality, proportionality and subsidiarity) of a special intelligence method used by State Security or GISS;<\/li>\n<li>in its capacity as a <strong>supervisory authority<\/strong> for the processing of personal data carried out by State Security, GISS, CUTA or one of its supporting services acting in this capacity, and by a security authority or a security officer.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>These three capacities correspond to the three categories of complaints for which the Committee is responsible (<em><a href=\"https:\/\/comiteri.mediartia.com\/en\/complaints\/\">find out more<\/a><\/em>).[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=&#8221;Can I submit a complaint if I&apos;m not Belgian or if I don&apos;t live in Belgium?&#8221; tab_id=&#8221;1771606201227-3e956f12-ad9e&#8221;][vc_column_text css=&#8221;&#8221;]Yes. You can refer to Committee R\/I even if you are not Belgian or if you don&#8217;t live in Belgium.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=&#8221;Will my complaint be handled independently?&#8221; tab_id=&#8221;1771606218850-0209a5d9-219e&#8221;][vc_column_text css=&#8221;&#8221;]Yes. Committee R\/I is an independent public institution, linked to the Chamber of Representatives, and guarantees that it acts in a neutral and impartial manner.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=&#8221;Can I submit a complaint on behalf of someone else?&#8221; tab_id=&#8221;1771606260661-514e167e-cb17&#8243;][vc_column_text css=&#8221;&#8221;]That depends on the subject of the complaint.<\/p>\n<p>You can submit a complaint to Committee R\/I on behalf of another person if the complaint concerns a shortcoming within State Security, GISS, CUTA or one of its supporting services acting in this capacity, or a shortcoming of a security authority or a security officer. In this case, the explicit consent of the person in question is required. <\/p>\n<p>If your complaint concerns a special intelligence method used by State Security or GISS, or the processing of personal data in the context of national security, you may only act in your own name.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=&#8221;Can I submit a complaint anonymously?&#8221; tab_id=&#8221;1771606286964-835640c4-8603&#8243;][vc_column_text css=&#8221;&#8221;]That depends on the subject of the complaint.<\/p>\n<p>If your complaint concerns a shortcoming within State Security, GISS, CUTA or one of its supporting services acting in this capacity, or a shortcoming of a security authority or a security officer, you can request that Committee R\/I does not disclose your identity when handling your complaint. You just need to state this clearly when submitting your complaint. <\/p>\n<p>If your complaint concerns a special intelligence method used by State Security or GISS, or the processing of personal data in the context of national security, then a complaint cannot be made anonymously. Committee R\/I must share your identity with the service(s) in question to enable them to carry out a suitable examination of your complaint.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=&#8221;Can I submit a complaint to Committee R\/I relating to another supervisory body?&#8221; tab_id=&#8221;1771606305882-4fd7dd49-8406&#8243;][vc_column_text css=&#8221;&#8221;]No. The Committee is only responsible for handling three categories of complaints (<em><a href=\"https:\/\/comiteri.mediartia.com\/en\/the-committees-authority\/\">find out more<\/a><\/em>). <\/p>\n<p>If Committee R\/I receives a complaint that falls within the remit of another supervisory body, the complaint is forwarded to this body.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=&#8221;Do I need to pay for my complaint to be examined by Committee R\/I?&#8221; tab_id=&#8221;1771606325410-1a4d7468-92dc&#8221;][vc_column_text css=&#8221;&#8221;]No. The services of the Committee R\/I are provided free of charge. <\/p>\n<p>Committee R\/I is funded by endowments and operates using public funds.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=&#8221;Could my complaint be rejected?&#8221; tab_id=&#8221;1771606344464-c007a9ae-579c&#8221;][vc_column_text css=&#8221;&#8221;]Committee R\/I only handles three categories of complaints, i.e. complaints concerning:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>The <a href=\"https:\/\/comiteri.mediartia.com\/en\/complaints\/shortcomings-within-a-service\/\"><strong><em>operations <\/em><\/strong><\/a>of State Security, GISS, CUTA or one of its supporting services;<\/li>\n<li>A <em><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/comiteri.mediartia.com\/en\/complaints\/special-intelligence-methods\/\">special intelligence method<\/a><\/strong><\/em> used by State Security or GISS;<\/li>\n<li>The <em><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/comiteri.mediartia.com\/en\/complaints\/processing-of-personal-data\/\">processing of personal data<\/a><\/strong><\/em> carried out in the context of national security.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>If the subject of your complaint does not relate to one of these cases, the Committee R\/I cannot process it. If necessary, you will be informed promptly. The Committee will also inform you, if possible, of the contact details of a service that may be able to help you.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=&#8221;How do I submit a complaint?&#8221; tab_id=&#8221;1771606365835-04cc6cf3-2dcb&#8221;][vc_column_text css=&#8221;&#8221;]You can submit a complaint<strong> in writing<\/strong> by completing <em><a href=\"https:\/\/comiteri.mediartia.com\/en\/complaints\/online-complaint-form\/\">the online complaints form<\/a><\/em>. You can also submit your complaint by email or post.  <\/p>\n<p>Your complaint can <strong>also <\/strong>be submitted <strong>verbally <\/strong>by making an appointment at the Committee R\/I offices.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=&#8221;What happens after my complaint has been submitted?&#8221; tab_id=&#8221;1771606383530-56fe9449-a23e&#8221;][vc_column_text css=&#8221;&#8221;]Committee R\/I will first carry out a <strong>preliminary examination<\/strong> to decide whether the complaint falls within its remit.<\/p>\n<p>If your complaint is <strong>deemed admissible<\/strong>, an <strong>investigation will be opened<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>At the close of the investigation<\/strong>, the <strong>conclusions of the investigation are forwarded<\/strong> to the head of the intelligence service in question, the director of CUTA or the head of the supporting service, as the case may be. These conclusions primarily aim to improve the operation of the services reviewed, in particular by amending the regulations or its practices. Committee R\/I may not grant any compensation nor act as a mediator in the event of a conflict.  <\/p>\n<p>Si votre plainte concerne un traitement de donn\u00e9es \u00e0 caract\u00e8re personnel, le Comit\u00e9 R\/I peut ordonner si n\u00e9cessaire la rectification ou la suppression de certaines donn\u00e9es personnelles.<\/p>\n<p>If your complaint concerns a special intelligence method, the Committee may, if it finds that a method is illegal, order the <strong>cessation of the method<\/strong> in question or <strong>prohibit the use<\/strong> of data collected using that method, and order that they be destroyed.<\/p>\n<p>Regardless of the results of the investigation, the Committee is <strong>restricted in the information it may share with the complainant<\/strong>. For reasons of classification, the Committee is not authorised to share details about these results.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=&#8221;How long will it take to process my complaint?&#8221; tab_id=&#8221;1771606402495-1ec10d20-9f35&#8243;][vc_column_text css=&#8221;&#8221;]The processing period depends on the complexity of your case. More than two in three complaints are processed in less than three months. <\/p>\n<p>Once your complaint has been received, we will send you a written acknowledgement of receipt. We will then promptly inform you if we can take any action.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=&#8221;What happens if I institute legal proceedings?&#8221; tab_id=&#8221;1771606422597-ac382fd2-8715&#8243;][vc_column_text css=&#8221;&#8221;]If you have submitted a complaint to Committee R\/I and then decide to initiate legal proceedings for the same incident (other than before the Council of State), the Committee&#8217;s actions are suspended until the end of the legal proceedings. At your request, Committee R\/I may then resume the examination of your complaint. <\/p>\n<p>If you wish to contest an administrative decision before the Council of State, please be aware that the period allowed for an appeal is suspended if you decided to submit a complaint to Committee R\/I. The period recommences after our conclusions have been disclosed, or at the latest four months after the submission of your complaint.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=&#8221;What happens if I have referred to the Appeal Body with regard to security clearances and advice?&#8221; tab_id=&#8221;1771606444615-5f6e958d-2dac&#8221;][vc_column_text css=&#8221;&#8221;]If the Appeal Body is referred to, the Committee R\/I must, for the entire duration of the procedure before the Appeal Body, refrain from examining the complaints and denunciations concerning an investigation or security check carried out during the security clearance or advice procedure that is the subject of the appeal. The processing of your complaint will therefore be suspended until the procedure before the Appeal Body is closed.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=&#8221;Is my personal data protected?&#8221; tab_id=&#8221;1771606466588-0b063e8f-b877&#8243;][vc_column_text css=&#8221;&#8221;]Yes. All Committee R\/I employees are bound by professional secrecy and your complaint and personal data are processed confidentially. Please see our <a href=\"https:\/\/comiteri.mediartia.com\/en\/home\/privacy-policy-and-conditions-of-use\/\"><em>Data Protection Statement<\/em>.<\/a>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_tta_section][\/vc_tta_accordion][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row full_width=&#8221;stretch_row&#8221;][vc_column][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;132px&#8221;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[vc_row full_width=&#8221;stretch_row&#8221; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1763803345173{margin-bottom: 0px !important;background-color: #276475 !important;}&#8221;][vc_column][vc_column_text css=&#8221;&#8221; el_id=&#8221;TITULO&#8221; el_class=&#8221;TITULOSUPERIORPAGINA&#8221;] COMPLAINTS&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2541,"parent":14359,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-14389","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/comiteri.mediartia.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/14389","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/comiteri.mediartia.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/comiteri.mediartia.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/comiteri.mediartia.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/comiteri.mediartia.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=14389"}],"version-history":[{"count":64,"href":"https:\/\/comiteri.mediartia.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/14389\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":15139,"href":"https:\/\/comiteri.mediartia.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/14389\/revisions\/15139"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/comiteri.mediartia.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/14359"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/comiteri.mediartia.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2541"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/comiteri.mediartia.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14389"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}