FAQ

Preventing Trafficking in Cultural Property: Import and Export Provisions as Two Sides of the Same Coin

Publication date: 30.12.2019

Santander Art and Culture Law Review, 2019, 2/2019 (5), pp. 95 - 108

https://doi.org/10.4467/2450050XSNR.19.015.11563

Authors

Robert Peters
Berlin, Germany
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0222-0464 Orcid
All publications →

Titles

Preventing Trafficking in Cultural Property: Import and Export Provisions as Two Sides of the Same Coin

Abstract

This article analyses the recent developments on the international, regional, and national level in preventing the trafficking in movable cultural property. The analysis starts by looking at the legal framework provided by the 1970 UNESCO Convention and the necessity of the Convention’s implementation into national law. It then focuses on the 2016 law reform in Germany implementing the 1970 UNESCO Convention as well as Directive 2014/60/EU. Whereas most States have adopted national export provisions protecting their own national cultural property, only a few States – like Canada and Germany – provide for general import provisions. Against the backdrop of the UN Security Council Resolution 2347 (2017)  nd the 2019 EU Import Regulation, the article illustrates that import and export provisions are two sides of the same coin in terms of preventing trafficking in cultural property.

References

Ancient Monuments and Antiquities Ordinance, “The Laws of Belize”, ch. 259, 1972, https://en.unesco.org/sites/default/files/belize_monuments_antiquities_ordinance_engorof.pdf [accessed: 25.07.2019].

Antiquities and Treasure Trove Act [2002 Ed.], “Laws of Brunei”, ch. 31, https://en.unesco.org/sites/default/files/brunei_lawant_02_enorof.pdf [accessed: 25.07.2019].

Antiquities Law No. 5738 [Israel], 1978.

Antiquities Law, “Laws of Cyprus”, ch. 31, http://www.mcw.gov.cy/mcw/da/da.nsf/DMLlaw_en/DMLlaw_en?OpenDocument [accessed: 25.07.2019].

Asar-i Atika Nizamnamesi [Antiquities act], in: Düstur, Vol. III, Istanbul 1876.

Bahrani Z., Çelik Z., Eldem E. (eds.), Scramble for the Past: A Story of Archaeology in the Ottoman Empire 1753-1914, Salt Galata, Istanbul 2012.

Bundesgesetz über den internationalen Kulturgütertransfer [Federal act on the international transfer of cultural property], Systematische Rechtssammlung 444.1, 20 June 2003, https://www.bak.admin.ch/bak/en/home/cultural-heritage/transfer-of-cultural-property/legal-basis.html [accessed: 25.07.2019].

Codice dei beni culturali e del paesaggio [Landscape and cultural heritage code], 22 January 2004, Gazzetta Ufficiale No. 45.

Convention on Cultural Property Implementation Act (CPIA) 19 USC 2601 (1983).

Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property, 14 November 1970, 823 UNTS 231.

Council Regulation (EC) No. 116/2009 of 18 December 2008 on the export of cultural goods (codified version), OJ L 39, 10.02.2009, p. 1.

Cultural Property Export and Import Act, Revised Statues of Canada, 1985, c. C-51, http://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/C-51/ [accessed: 25.07.2019].

Directive 2014/60/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 May 2014 on the return of cultural objects unlawfully removed from the territory of a Member State and amending Regulation (EU) No. 1024/2012 [Recast], OJ L 159, 28.05.2014, p. 1.

European Commission, Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament and the Council on an Action Plan for strengthening the fight against terrorist financing, 2.02.2016, COM(2016) 50 final.

European Commission, Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the import of cultural goods, 13.07.2017, COM(2017) 375 final, https://ec.europa.eu/info/law/better-regulation/initiatives/com-2017-375_en [accessed: 25.07.2019].

European Parliament legislative resolution of 12 March 2019 on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the import of cultural goods (COM(2017)0375 – C8-0227/2017 – 2017/0158(COD)), P8_TA-PROV(2019)0154.

Forbes A., Kaplan I., Germany’s Onerous New Art Export Law, Explained, “Artsy”, 11 July 2016, https://www.artsy.net/article/artsy-editorial-what-germany-s-strict-new-regulations-mean-for-the-international-art-market [accessed: 25.07.2019].

German Bundestag, Bericht über die Auswirkungen des Gesetzes zur Ausführung des UNESCO-Übereinkommens vom 14. November 1970 über Maßnahmen zum Verbot und zur Verhütung der rechtswidrigen Einfuhr, Ausfuhr und Übereignung von Kulturgut [Report on the effects of the law implementing the UNESCO Convention of 14 November 1970 on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfe of Ownership of Cultural Property], BT-Drs. 17/13378, http://dipbt.bundestag.de/dip21/btd/17/133/1713378.pdf [accessed: 25.07.2019].

German Bundestag, Bericht zum Umfang des Verwaltungsaufwandes von Bund und Ländern –  Zwei Jahre Kulturgutschutzgesetz [Report on the extent of the administrative burden of federal and state governments – two years of cultural property protection law], BTDrs.

19/7145, presented to Parliament on 16 January 2019, http://dipbt.bundestag.de/extrakt/ba/WP19/2432/243257.html [accessed: 25.07.2019].

Gesetz zum Schutz von Kulturgut [Act on the protection of cultural property], Bundesgesetzblatt 2016, Part I, p. 1914, http://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/englisch_kgsg/index.html [accessed: 25.07.2019].

Gesetz zur Ausführung des UNESCO-Übereinkommens vom 14. November 1970 über Maßnahmen zum Verbot und zur Verhütung der rechtswidrigen Einfuhr, Ausfuhr und Übereignung von Kulturgut [Act implementing the UNESCO Convention of 14 November 1970 on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property], Bundesgesetzblatt 2007, Part I, p. 757.

Law on Antiquities No. 21/1994 [Yemen], 29 October 1994.

Legge 1 giugno 1939, n. 1089 “Tutela delle cose di interesse artistico e storico” [Law No. 1089 of 1 June 1939 “Protection of objects of artistic or historical interest”], Gazzetta Ufficiale No. 184, 8 August 1939.
Legge 27 giugno 1907 n. 386 sul consiglio superiore, uffici e personale delle antichità e belle arti [Law No. 386 of 27 June 1907 on the superior council, offices, and personnel of antiquities and fine arts], Gazzetta Ufficiale No. 158, 4 July 1907.

Memorandum on Export and Import of Cultural Property, D19-4-1, 12 April 2018, http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/publications/dm-md/d19/d19-4-1-eng.pdf [accessed: 25.07.2019].

Paris Appeal Court, The Federal Republic of Nigeria v Alain de Montbrison, Judgment of 5 April 2004 (2002/09897).

Peters R., The Protection of Cultural Property: Recent Developments in Germany in the Context of New EU Law and the 1970 UNESCO Convention, “Santander Art and Culture Law Review” 2016, Vol. 2.

Princely Decree no. 11 of 1960 Law of Antiquities [Kuwait], https://en.unesco.org/sites/default/ files/kuw_decree_11_law_antiquities_engtof.pdf [accessed: 25.07.2019].

Règlement sur les antiquités, in: Législation ottomane, Vol. III, Constantinople 1874.

Regulation (EU) 2019/880 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 April 2019 on the introduction and the import of cultural goods, OJ L 151, 7.06.2019, p. 1. Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (consolidated version), OJ C 326, 26.10.2012, p. 47.

Undang-undang No. 5 Tahun 1992 tentang Benda Cagar Budaya [Act No. 5 of 1992 on cultural heritage objects], Lembaran Negara No. 10, 1993.

United Nations Security Council Resolution No. 2347, 24 March 2017, S/RES/2347 (2017).

Νόμος Υπ’Αριθμ. 3028 Για την Προστασία των Αρχαιοτήτων και εν γένει της Πολιτιστικής Κληρονομιάς [Law No. 3028 on the protection of antiquities and cultural heritage in general], Government Gazette No. 153, 28 June 2002.

Information

Information: Santander Art and Culture Law Review, 2019, 2/2019 (5), pp. 95 - 108

Article type: Original article

Titles:

Polish:

Preventing Trafficking in Cultural Property: Import and Export Provisions as Two Sides of the Same Coin

English:

Preventing Trafficking in Cultural Property: Import and Export Provisions as Two Sides of the Same Coin

Published at: 30.12.2019

Article status: Open

Licence: CC BY-NC-ND  licence icon

Percentage share of authors:

Robert Peters (Author) - 100%

Article corrections:

-

Publication languages:

English