Belgian nationality law provides for the conditions in which a person holds Belgian nationality and is based on a mixture of the principles of jus sanguinis and jus soli. Belgian nationality is the status of being a citizen of Belgium. Nationality and citizenship are synonymous; there is no legal distinction between the two terms. Most Belgians are Belgian citizens. History Pre-1984 Belgian nationality was historically governed by a law dating from 14 December 1932. This law was modified by further laws passed in 1951, 1961, 1964, 1965 and 1967. In 1963, Belgium signed the Strasbourg Convention on Multiple Nationality, which aimed to reduce cases of multiple nationalities following naturalisation. Until 1967, nationality was subject to relatively stricter rules, which meant that children born to a Belgian mother were not accorded Belgian nationality. As a result, there are several notable cases of well-known people who did not receive Belgian nationality including Johnny Hallyday, Pierre Arditi, Catherine Arditi, Jacques Higelin and Patrick Modiano. Post-1984 In the early 1980s, the Belgian government undertook a comprehensive reform of Belgian nationality law. The result was the Belgian nationality code, which was legislated on 28 June 1984 and largely took effect on 1 January 1985. The code has since been modified several times, including in 1991, 1993, 1995, 1998, 2000, 2004, 2006, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017 and 2018. The most recent modifications (legislated in 2018) entered into force in 2019. In 2002, Belgium denounced the Strasbourg Convention, which opened up the path to allowing for multiple nationality following naturalisation. In 2008, the country removed its last remaining provisions that prevented the acquisition of multiple nationalities. In 2014, Belgium acceded to the 1961 Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness. Legal framework Legislation The primary legal text is the Belgian nationality code (Code de la nationalité belge (C.N.B.) / Wetboek van de Belgische nationaliteit (W.B.N.)). The code is supplemented by various royal decrees (arrêtés royaux / Koninklijk Besluit) that govern the execution of the code. In the event of inconsistency between the code and the royal decrees, the code takes precedence. All changes to Belgian law are published in the Belgian official journal (Moniteur belge / Belgisch Staatsblad). The most comprehensive legal treatise on Belgian nationality is Traité de la nationalité en droit belge by Charles-Louis Closset and Bernadette Renauld, which was first published in 1993 and updated with a second edition in 2004 and a third