Commission launches proposal for Regulation on the illicit trade in cultural goods

Author (Corporate)
Series Title
Series Details IP/17/1932 (13.07.17)
Publication Date 13/07/2017
Content Type

Background and further information:

The proposal marks one of the final steps set out in the European Commission's Action Plan to strengthen the fight against terrorism financing, launched in February 2016. The Council of the European Union reinforced later in the month the need to enhance the fight against the illicit trade in cultural goods and asked the Commission to propose legislative measures on this matter as soon as possible.

The set of rules foresses a number of actions to make it more difficult for cultural goods to be illicitly imported:

+ A new common EU definition for 'cultural goods' at importation which cover a broad range of objects;

+ The introduction of a new licensing system for the import of archaeological objects, parts of monuments and ancient manuscripts and books;

+ The need for importers to go through a more rigorous certification system for other categories of cultural goods;

+ Provide customs authorities with the power to seize and retain goods when it cannot be demonstrated that the cultural goods in question have been legally exported.

The European Commission put forward on 13 July 2017 a proposal comprising a set of new rules to clamp down on the illegal import and trafficking of cultural goods from outside the European Union, often linked to terrorist financing and other criminal activity.

Source Link Link to Main Source http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-17-1932_en.htm
Related Links
European Commission: DG Communication: MEMO/17/1954, 13.07.17: Questions and Answers on the illegal import of cultural goods used to finance terrorism http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_MEMO-17-1954_en.htm
European Commission: DG Communication: SPEECH/17/2026, 13.07.17: Opening remarks by Commissioner Moscovici on the Commission's proposal on the illegal import and trafficking of cultural goods http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_SPEECH-17-2026_en.htm
Politico, 13.07.17: Commission targets terrorists trafficking in antiquities http://www.politico.eu/article/commission-targets-terrorists-trafficking-in-antiques/

Subject Categories ,
Countries / Regions