The EU Contribution against the Illicit Trafficking of Cultural Goods
Recent Developments
abstract
The present study focuses on the legal instruments - Regulation and Directives – governing at EU level the export of cultural goods, and the duty to return cultural objects stolen or illegally exported from a member State at EU level, with particular attention to Directive 2014/60/EU. The recent Regulation (EU) 2019/880 on the introduction and the import of cultural goods, will also be investigated. In the last section of the article, the (serious) effects of the Brexit on the struggle against the illicit traffic of cultural objects, in particular from areas of crisis, will be analysed.
Keywords: Unidroit 1995 Convention • Directive 2014/60/EU • Regulation (EU) 2019/880 • Cut-off date • Cultural property • Brexit • Cultural heritage • German Cultural Property Act • Internal market • Circulation of cultural goods