The European
Association of Archaeologists (EAA) notes with concern that, after
leaving the European Union at the beginning of 2021, the government of
the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland has indicated
that it will not co-operate with the licensing system of EU regulation
2019/880. This regulation is aimed at protecting against the illicit
trade in cultural property for the purpose of money laundering and
financing of terrorist activities. The regulation was introduced by the
EU in April 2019 and is due to be fully enforced by 2025.
The EAA notes that
the UK has a ‘Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act 2018’ in place,
that allows for the imposition of regulations that it considers
appropriate for the purposes of compliance with UN obligations. The
current UK statutory guidance on cultural material from Syria implements
a UN sanction obligation.
Considering that
Britain forms a hub for the global market in art and ethnographic
objects, and archaeological material, the EAA calls on the UK government
to acknowledge that many archaeological and historical artefacts that
pass through British auction houses and dealerships, especially those
originating from Eastern European and Near Eastern sites, including but
not limited to Syria, may have been looted and may be provided with
false provenance papers. The exploitation for financial gain of the
non-renewable resource of the in-situ archaeological record,
and the vandalism of standing monuments in order to sell individual
components, is accelerating the destruction of cultural heritage in many
countries.
The EAA calls on the
UK government to urgently consider widening the scope of application of
the 2018 Anti-Money Laundering Act, including review of the rules,
guidance and regulations associated with the Act, to ensure that robust,
collective measures are in place to counter terrorist financing and
money laundering from the sale in Britain of cultural heritage from any
State.
According to EU
Regulation 2019/880, import licences have to be obtained for objects
older than 250 years, and deriving from any non-EU country, before the
material can enter any EU country. This means that importers must prove
that cultural heritage objects were legally exported from the country of
origin. The introduction of archaeological material removed from the
country where it was created or discovered, in breach of the laws and
regulations of that country, is prohibited under Regulation 2019/880.
This regulation constitutes a very important step forward against the
illicit trade in archaeological material, especially from Western Asian,
North African and Eastern European countries.
The EAA is concerned
that the current legal and regulatory situation in the UK allows
archaeological objects to be temporarily imported, sold, and then
exported from Britain with ease.
The EAA will warmly
welcome a response from the UK government that sets out a comprehensive
strategy, based on international co-operation, to combat money
laundering and terrorist financing through the selling of archaeological
objects that may have been looted (whether from regular or clandestine
excavations, or from museums, archives, or private collections),
illegally exported, or provided with a false provenance, and that derive
from any country of origin. We further look forward to assurance of the
UK government’s commitment to implementing protection in law, not only
for its own cultural heritage, but also the cultural heritage of other
nations.
Links (accessed February 10, 2021):