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Mission impossible? Teresa Ribera’s mission letter and the future of EU merger review
Executive Vice President Vestager’s momentous tenure as Commissioner responsible for EU competition policy is nearing its end.
Global | Publication | August 2023
The illicit trade of art and artefacts dates back centuries and has occurred across the world. Modern day conflicts such as those in Syria, Iraq and Ukraine have increased the scale of destruction of cultural property and, as a result, their illicit trade. Criminal groups are generating income from engaging directly or indirectly in the smuggling of cultural heritage items, and engaging in money laundering to help further their objectives.1
Research also shows that markets are emerging in Iran, Turkey, the Gulf States and their neighbours for art and artefacts from Syria and Iraq.2 The Russia-Ukraine conflict led to significant damage to Ukrainian cultural heritage sites. Recent reports suggest that dozens of Russian specialists and aides loaded two trucks with approximately 10,000 artworks without proper packing to be delivered to Russian controlled museums in Crimea.3
These activities have been facilitated by the internet providing enhanced global communication and the ability to move objects quickly, leading to stolen objects from the Middle East appearing in Western markets.4
As the International Criminal Court has acknowledged, “crimes against or affecting cultural heritage have an impact on our shared sense of humanity and the daily lives of local populations.”5 This is why international law has taken a strong human rights approach to condemning and criminalising such conduct.
1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict
Australia owes a number of obligations to the international community both in relation to the protection and transport of cultural property. Under the 1954 Hague Convention cultural property includes: “movable or immovable property of great importance to the cultural heritage of every people, such as monuments of architecture, art or history, whether religious or secular; archaeological sites; groups of buildings which, as a whole, are of historical or artistic interest; works of art; manuscripts, books and other objects of artistic, historical or archaeological interest; as well as scientific collections and important collections of books or archives or of reproductions of the property defined above.”6
This Convention affords cultural property special protection in times of conflict, requiring parties to protect and respect such property in times of war,7 and also undertaking preparation in peacetime against the foreseeable effects of armed conflict.8
1970 UNESCO Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property
Significantly, Australia is a signatory to the 1970 UNESCO Convention which requires state parties to make a number of commitments to advance the protection of cultural property. Amongst other things, this includes:
With the increasing level of illicit trade from the conflicts in Syria and Iraq, the UN Security Council urged States to develop ‘broad law enforcement and judicial cooperation in preventing and combating all forms and aspects of trafficking in cultural property and related offences.’10
Australia previously sought to implement some of these obligations domestically through the Protection of Moveable Cultural Heritage Act 1986 (Cth) which seeks to control the export and import of moveable cultural heritage from both Australia and foreign countries. Objects of ‘ethnological, archaeological, historical, literary, scientific or technological’ significance are covered, as well as protected objects from foreign countries.11 Art industry participants should turn their minds to their obligations under this Act when importing and exporting objects, as failing to do so could leave them facing criminal penalties.12
Often perceived as the largest unregulated market in the world, the art and antiquities market remains an attractive way for money launders and those financing terrorism to conceal the origin of their funds and move ill-gotten gains. Items lacking original records about their provenance make it difficult for enforcement officials or well-intentioned buyers to identify illegally acquired items.13 The value of certain items means demand exceeds legal supply, which can help facilitate the concealment of large sums of money by purchasing art and antiquities.14 Further, the industry offers participants anonymity through private sales and cash payments. This may call for further regulation under the AML/CTF Act.15
The UN Security Council has recognised the clear “connection between terrorism and transnational organised crime, including illicit trafficking in drugs, arms, and persons, as well as money-laundering, and the trafficking in cultural property”,16 leading some museums to leave the antiquities market. After returning more than a dozen stolen sculptures acquired for over $8.7 million, the National Gallery of Australia removed itself from the antiquities market entirely, noting:
It’s very, very rare for objects to have the level of provenance that we would need to be able to ethically acquire them…We’ve judged that the antiquities market is just too risky and ethically fraught, and would prefer instead to explore new and creative ways of representing diverse cultures by working collaboratively with source countries and communities.17
Further, Australia’s implementation of international sanctions against Russia through the Charter of the United Nations Act 1945 (Cth), Autonomous Sanctions Act 2011 (Cth) and Autonomous Sanctions Regulations 2011 (Cth), provides another layer of complexity for art industry participants. Currently the sale or supply of luxury goods to parties in Russia is sanctioned as export sanctioned goods. This includes any “works of art, collectors’ pieces and antiques.”18 These sanctions apply to both Australian citizens and companies, whether engaging in conduct in Australia or internationally, as well as conduct engaged in by any person in Australia.19
Art industry participants need to closely monitor international sanctions to ensure they are not facilitating the illicit trade or acquisition of cultural property. We suggest art industry participants take the following steps to limit their risk exposure:
SC Res 2347, UN SCOR, 7907th meeting, UN Doc S/RES/2347 (24 March 2017); SC Res 2199, UN SCOR, 7379th meeting, UN Doc S/RES/2199 (12 February 2015) para 16.
SC Res 2322, UN SCOR, 7831th meeting, UN Doc S/RES/2322 (12 December 2016) para 12.
Publication
Executive Vice President Vestager’s momentous tenure as Commissioner responsible for EU competition policy is nearing its end.
Publication
On 10 October 2024, the UK government published its long awaited response (the Response) to its January 2024 consultation on “Designing a policy framework to enable investment in long duration electricity storage” (the Consultation).
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