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Measures against the illicit trade in cultural objects: the emerging strategy in Britain

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 March 2015

David Gaimster
David Gaimster*
Affiliation:
Society of Antiquaries of London, Burlington House, Piccadilly, London W1J 0BE (Email: [email protected]). Dr Gaimster acted as a senior policy advisor in the Cultural Property Unit, Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), from 2002-2004)
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Abstract

Until recently the UK was notorious for its illicit market in unlawfully removed art and antiquities from around the globe. Today the UK marketplace is operating in a very different climate. The UK has recently become a state party to the 1970 UNESCO Convention and is now introducing a package of measures designed to strengthen its treaty obligations, central to which is the creation of a new criminal offence of dishonestly dealing in cultural objects unlawfully removed anywhere in the world. These also include the development of effective tools to aid enforcement and due-diligence. Recent events in Iraq have also forced the UK Government to announce its intention to ratify the 1954 Hague Convention.

Keywords

illicit tradeart market1970 UNESCO ConventionDealing in Cultural Objects (Offences) Act 20031954 Hague Convention
Type
Debate
Information
Antiquity , Volume 78 , Issue 301 , September 2004 , pp. 699 - 707
Copyright
Copyright © Antiquity Publications Ltd. 2004

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References

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