New EU rule could hit antique dealers

The French National Union of Antiques Dealers (SNA) is up in arms against a new EU decision which the SNA claim could ruin their trade.

With effect from 2025, the European Commission requires that anyone importing ‘works of art’ of a certain age from outside of the EU must be accompanied by documentation confirming their provenance.

Stopping funding of terrorism

The idea is to prevent the import of looted cultural goods, the sale of which may be used to finance terrorism.

Effectively, the onus will be on the importer to prove that the imported item is not illicit although how this can be done could prove difficult.

The SNA, which represents around 300 French antique and art dealers, said that the regulation will also make it difficult for owners to donate cultural objects – like fossils, antiquities, texts and art – to museums.

Licences required

Owners of items over 200 years old that are valued above €18,000 will need an “importer statement”. They’ll also need an import licence for other items over 250 years old.

With a great deal of looting of artefacts in war torn areas such as Afghanistan, Syria, and Yemen as well as parts of Africa, the EU wants to ensure that anything imported is not looted and no doubt the British Museum is relieved that the Elgin Marbles and many other artefacts are safe following Brexit.