Importers Beware: Proposed Updates to Cultural Property Agreements

The United States is currently considering proposals to extend cultural property agreements with the Governments of the Republic of Cyprus and Peru, respectively. Each agreement identifies various types of art and antiquities that have been found to be in jeopardy of pillage. Similarly, the United States received a request from the former government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan seeking emergency assistance with the protection of their cultural property. The extension proposals and the emergency request all seek United States import restrictions intended to protect the items by closing the US art purchasing market to these pilfered and illicitly traded items. On October 5^th, the Cultural Property Advisory Committee met to review the proposals and emergency request. At a later date, it will make a recommendation to the Biden Administration as to whether it ought to extend the agreements with Cyprus and Peru and whether to offer emergency protection to the former government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan.

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