The law aims to prevent the looting of monuments and money laundering

Prague – The introduction of a new system of rules for the import of cultural goods into the European Union aims to protect cultural heritage in countries of origin. The Czech Republic must also join the EU legal norm. Culture Minister Lubomír Zaorálek (ČSSD) will therefore present a draft law on the entry and import of certain cultural goods into the EU customs territory to the government on Monday. The reason for adopting European legislation is not only to prevent illegal trade in cultural goods and the associated plundering of archaeological sites but also to potentially curb the acquisition of funds for financing terrorism through these means.

Illegal trade in cultural goods and the related plundering of archaeological sites is a problem exacerbated by the fact that in some politically less stable countries in the Middle East, significant financial resources are obtained for financing terrorism, according to the materials prepared for the government. As previously stated by Deputy Minister of Culture Vlastislav Ouroda to ČTK, Czech legislation will implement the regulations of the European Parliament and the Council of Europe in this regulation, which are a response to situations such as in Syria or Iraq.

The proposed legal amendment represents the first part of the adaptation to the aforementioned regulation, with an implementation deadline set for December 28, 2020. The second part of the adaptation will follow by June 2025 at the latest in connection with the establishment of the planned centralized electronic system, which will serve member states for exchanging information about the import of cultural goods from third countries.

The proposed legal amendment is not a novelty for Czech laws. It is based on the 1970 Convention on Measures to Prohibit and Prevent the Illicit Import, Export, and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property, to which the then Czechoslovak Socialist Republic acceded in 1977.

One of the key issues for preserving the integrity of movable cultural heritage is ensuring the return of items of artistic and historical value that were exported without the appropriate permit, or that were discovered during illegal archaeological excavations and subsequently smuggled out of their country of origin, and which later entered the EU customs territory.

The currently presented draft law establishes the procedure for the Ministry of Culture and Czech customs authorities in the event that Czech customs officers seize a cultural good imported in violation of the legal regulations of the country of origin. The draft law regulates the process from the seizure of such an item through its examination by a specialized organization of the Ministry of Culture, such as the National Museum, the National Library, or the National Heritage Institute, depending on the type of item, up to the Ministry of Culture's decision on the confiscation of the cultural good and its return to the country of origin.