Belgian Congo: Polity Style: 1908-1960

28 Nov 1907	the sovereignty over the Independent State of the Congo is ceded to Belgium in accordance with a treaty signed by representatives of the Independent State of the Congo and Belgium at Brussels on 28 Nov 1907, pending acceptance of the treaty and the assumption of sovereignty by Belgium (Congo Free State Official Bulletin, No. 10 bis, October 1908, pp. 391-394)
30 Oct 1908	the treaty of cession is approved in accordance with a law passed by the Chamber of the Representatives (Chambre des représentants) and by the Senate (Sénat) of Belgium on 20 Aug 1908 and 9 Sep 1908 respectively, promulgated by the King of the Belgians on 18 Oct 1908, effective on 30 Oct 1908, the tenth day after its publication (Belgian Official Gazette, No. 293-294, 19-20 Oct 1908, pp. ??; Belgian Congo Official Bulletin, No. 1, 15 Nov 1908, pp. 1-2) [2]
30 Oct 1908	Belgian Congo is placed under colonial administration in accordance with a law passed by the Chamber of the Representatives (Chambre des représentants) and by the Senate (Sénat) of Belgium on 20 Aug 1908 and 9 Sep 1908 respectively, promulgated by the King of the Belgians on 18 Oct 1908, effective on 30 Oct 1908, the tenth day after its publication (Belgian Official Gazette, No. 293-294, 19-20 Oct 1908, pp. ??; Belgian Congo Official Bulletin, No. 1, 15 Nov 1908, pp. 65-88) [3]
15 Nov 1908	Belgium assumes the sovereignty over the territories formerly constituting the Independent State of the Congo on 15 Nov 1908, the date appointed by an order issued by command of the King of the Belgians on 4 Nov 1908 (Belgian Congo Official Bulletin, No. 1, 15 Nov 1908, pp. 108-110)
15 Nov 1908 - 29 Jun 1960	Congo Belge
19 May 1960	a Basic Law on the Institutions of the Congo is passed by the Chamber of the Representatives (Chambre des représentants) and by the Senate (Sénat) of Belgium on 10 May 1960 and 18 May 1960 respectively, promulgated by the King of the Belgians on 19 May 1960 (Congo Official Gazette, No. 21 bis, 27 May 1960, pp. 1-25) [4]
30 Jun 1960	Belgian Congo constitutes an indivisible and democratic state in accordance with the Basic Law which came into operation on 30 Jun 1960, the date appointed by an order issued by command of the King of the Belgians on 1 Jun 1960 (Belgian Official Gazette, No. 127-128, 27-28 May 1960, pp. 3988-4012; Belgian Official Gazette, No. 288, 1 Dec 1960, pp. 9248-9249; Belgian Official Gazette, No. 296, 10 Dec 1960, p. 9412 (errata); Belgian Official Gazette, 2-3 Jan 1961, p. 7 (errata)) [5]
30 Jun 1960	Belgian Congo acceded to sovereignty and independence on 30 Jun 1960, the date appointed for the abrogation of the law on colonial administration of 18 Oct 1908, in accordance with Art. 259 of the Basic Law (Congo Official Gazette, No. 21 bis, 27 May 1960, pp. 1-25)

Public proclamations of the Independent State of the Congo followed on 18 and 19 Jul 1885 at ceremonies held in Banana (Moniteur Belge, No. 237, 25 Aug 1885, p. 3552).
Full title (French): Loi réalisant le transfert à la Belgique de l’État Indépendant du Congo; (Dutch): Wet tot overdracht van den Onafhankelijken Congostaat aan België.
Full title (French): Loi sur Ie gouvernement du Congo belge; (Dutch): Wet op het beheer van den Belgischen Congo.
Full title (French): Loi fondamentale du 19 mai 1960 relative aux structures du Congo.
A provision for creation of the State of the Congo was included in Art. 6 of the Basic Law. A royal order of 1 Jun 1960 divided the articles of the Basic Law into three groups in terms of coming into effect (1 Jun 1960, 10 Jun 1960, 30 Jun 1960). The effective date for Art. 6 was determined as 30 Jun 1960.