As part of its action to tackle terrorism and organised crime, the Council of the EU (COE) adopted a new convention on criminal law on 3 May. This convention seeks to combat the trafficking and destruction of cultural goods.
This treaty is the first of its kind at an international level. It will be ready to sign on 19 May next in Nicosia (Cyprus) as part of the 127th session of the COE Committee of Ministers’ session, which will bring together foreign affairs ministers from 47 member states.
It defines several criminal offences, such as theft, illegal digs, the falsification of documents, illegal imports and exports, as well as the acquisition and marketing of cultural goods obtained illegally.
The destruction or intentional deterioration of cultural goods is obviously a priority.
Aggravating circumstances will include offences committed by those responsible for the conservation and/or offences that have been committed as part of a criminal organisation.
The new convention also includes prevention measures such as the national inventories and professionals on the art market being obliged to establish a register of their deals.
Thorbjørn Jagland, the Secretary General of the COE, explained that, “We cannot continue to witness the destruction of historic sites and the illegal trafficking of precious cultural goods by terrorists, without taking action”. He added that, “the new convention marks an important step against transnational crime and terrorist groups and for which this trade in antiquities is a source of revenue”.
Thorbjørn Jagland is therefore calling for this new convention to be signed and ratified “as soon as possible” and for its effective implementation to be ensured by a follow-up mechanism comprising the representatives of the different state parties. (Original version in French by Véronique Leblanc)