91996E1699

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1699/96 by Amedeo Amadeo (NI) to the Commission (24 June 1996)

Subject: Export of cultural goods

With the aim of establishing 'an area without internal frontiers in which the free movement of goods... is ensured' pursuant to Article 7a of the EC Treaty, the Community has adopted two measures relating to cultural goods - Council Regulation No 3911/92 ((OJ L 395, 31.12.1992, p. 1.)) of 9 December 1992 on the export of cultural goods and Council Directive 93/7 ((OJ L 74, 27.3.1993, p. 74.)) of 15 March 1993 on the return of cultural objects unlawfully removed from the territory of a Member State.

These two legal instruments are designed to provide protection at Community level in addition to the measures that each Member State is entitled to adopt pursuant to Article 36 of the EC Treaty to protect its national treasures.

While emphasizing that these measures are fully justified, will the Commission, when conducting its three yearly review of the Regulation and Directive scheduled for 1996, and in the light of its reports on application of the measures pursuant to Article 10 of the Regulation and Article 16 of the Directive, pay particular attention to the following aspects:

1. application of the Regulation and Directive in the various Member States;

2. whether it would be useful to have a kind of passport or certificate accompanying such works of art;

3. the development of cooperation between the police and the courts in identifying cultural objects that have been stolen or unlawfully exported?

Answer given by Mr Monti on behalf of the Commission (11 September 1996)

In the report referred to by the Honourable Member, the Commission will examine all the issues deemed of relevance for drawing up 'a report reviewing the application' of the Directive on the return of cultural objects unlawfully removed from the territory of a Member State, as required by Article 16(2) of the Directive, and 'a report on the implementation' of the Regulation on the export of cultural goods, as required by the third paragraph of Article 10 of the Regulation.