Press Release: European Parliament approves new provisions for the return of national treasures

On 16 April 2014, the European Parliament voted in favour of a new directive to help EU countries organise the return of cultural objects that were unlawfully removed from their state and are currently located in another EU country.

The new legislation aims at securing the recovery by an EU Member State of any cultural item identified as "national treasures of artistic, historic or archaeological value" which were illegally removed from its territory on or after 1 January 1993. It will give better protection to objects that form part of the cultural heritage of the Member States and will contribute to the prevention and fight against illicit trafficking in cultural objects.

• Primary Source

ESO: Background information: More efficient rules for the return of cultural objects unlawfully removed from the territory of a member state http://www.europeansources.info/record/press-release-more-efficient-rules-for-the-return-of-cultural-objects-unlawfully-removed-from-the-territory-of-a-member-state/

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