Déclaration

Déclaration is a French noun that denotes a formal statement or assertion. It can refer to an act of informing others about facts, intentions, or beliefs, and is used across legal, administrative, political, and everyday contexts. The term derives from Latin declaratio, from declarare, meaning to make clear or to reveal.

In legal and administrative contexts, a declaration is a formal statement that may be sworn or submitted as a record. Examples include a declaration sous serment (an oath-based statement or affidavit), a declaration of assets or income for officials, and various declarations used as evidence in court or administrative proceedings.

In border and fiscal procedures, a declaration often serves as an official document identifying goods, quantities, values, and rights due. A customs declaration is presented on entry or departure to report merchandise; a tax declaration records income, deductions, and other information for assessment.

Historically and politically, declarations announce fundamental positions or changes in status. Prominent examples include declarations of independence or war, and international instruments such as the Déclaration universelle des droits de l'homme.

In everyday use, to declare is to state something clearly and formally, whether a fact, intention, or opinion. A declaration differs from questions or requests in that it asserts rather than seeks information.