The World Trade Organisation (Immunities and Privileges) Order 1995

High Officials

14.—(1) Except in so far as in any particular case any privilege or immunity is waived by or on behalf of the Organisation, and subject to the provisions of paragraph (2) of this Article, the Director-General, any Deputy Director-General or Assistant Director-General and any official acting on behalf of the Director-General during his absence from duty, shall enjoy—

(a) the like immunity from suit and legal process, the like inviolability of residence and the like exemption or relief from taxes, other than customs duties and taxes on the importation of goods, as are accorded to or in respect of the head of a diplomatic mission;

(b) the like exemption or relief from being liable to pay anything in respect of council tax as is accorded to or in respect of a diplomatic agent;

(c) the like exemption from customs duties and taxes on the importation of articles imported for his personal use or the use of members of his family forming part of his household, including articles intended for his establishment, as in accordance with paragraph 1 of Article 36 of the 1961 Convention Articles is accorded to a diplomatic agent;

(c) the like exemption and privileges in respect of his personal baggage as in accordance with paragraph 2 of Article 36 of the 1961 Convention Articles are accorded to a diplomatic agent;

(d) relief, under arrangements made by the Commissioners of Customs and Excise, by way of refund of customs duty paid on imported hydrocarbon oil (within the meaning of the Hydrocarbon Oil Duties Act 1979) or value added tax paid on the importation of such oil which is bought in the United Kingdom by him or on his behalf, such relief to be subject to compliance with such conditions as may be imposed in accordance with the arrangements; and

(e) exemptions whereby, for the purposes of the enactments relating to national insurance and social security, including enactments in force in Northern Ireland,—

(i) services rendered for the Organisation by the officer shall be deemed to be excepted from any class of employment in respect of which contributions or premiums under those enactments are payable, but

(ii) no person shall be rendered liable to pay any contribution or premium which he would not be required to pay if those services were not deemed to be so excepted.

(2) This Article shall not apply to any person who is a British citizen, a British Dependent Territories citizen, a British Overseas citizen, or a British National (Overseas) or who is a permanent resident of the United Kingdom.

(3) Part IV of Schedule 1 of the Act shall not operate so as to confer any privilege or immunity on any member of the family of any officer to whom this Article applies other than his spouse and minor children.