International Cultural Property Protection Home Page

The United States Information Agency (USIA) is responsible for implementing the Convention on Cultural Property Implementation Act (the Act). This is the enabling legislation for the 1970 UNESCO Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property. In accordance with the Act, USIA accepts requests from countries for import restrictions on archaeological or ethnological artifacts, the pillage of which places their national cultural heritage in jeopardy. The Cultural Property Advisory Committee, appointed by the president of the United States and administered by USIA, reviews these requests and makes recommendations to USIA. Under the president's authority, USIA makes a decision with regard to the request and may enter into a cultural property agreement with the requesting country. USIA's cultural property staff supports these functions and related activities and serves as a center of expertise on global cultural heritage protection issues.




The United States Information Agency (USIA) is responsible for implementing the Convention on Cultural Property Implementation Act (the Act). This is the enabling legislation for the 1970 UNESCO Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property. In accordance with the Act, USIA accepts requests from countries for import restrictions on archaeological or ethnological artifacts, the pillage of which places their national cultural heritage in jeopardy. The Cultural Property Advisory Committee, appointed by the president of the United States and administered by USIA, reviews these requests and makes recommendations to USIA. Under the president's authority, USIA makes a decision with regard to the request and may enter into a cultural property agreement with the requesting country. USIA's cultural property staff supports these functions and related activities and serves as a center of expertise on global cultural heritage protection issues.
		The problem of pillage, what's new, including the recent receipt of a cultural property request from the Government of Italy (updated 9/23/99), and recent reports of looting, theft, prosecution, and recovery on the World Wide Web (updated 9/17/99).


		U.S. implementation of the 1970 UNESCO Convention including an overview of the process, committee membership, text of agreements, U.S. Customs import restrictions on certain categories of archaeological and ethnological materials, and illustrations of materials subject to import restriction.


		U.S. and international cultural property laws and conventions and links to U.S. and international law enforcement agencies and non-governmental organizations.
	Photo Credits
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