[CPProt.net] Swiss act to limit traffic of illicit goods

[MSN CPPnet]

Swiss act to limit traffic of illicit goods
  
swissinfo   June 1, 2005 10:11 AM  
 
 
 
"Cultural goods are not normal goods – there’s a difference between having
your TV stolen and having a cultural good stolen," Andrea Raschèr, head of
international and legal matters at the Federal Culture Office, told
swissinfo.

"The subject of illicit trafficking of cultural goods in Switzerland became
more sensitive a few years ago with the discussion of looted Jewish property
during the Second World War." 

"This discussion reached a political level and as a result Switzerland now
complies perfectly with international standards."
 
Black sheep
 
Under the new legislation, art dealers and auction houses will be obliged to
identify who they do business with, bringing an end to anonymous trading.

These institutions will have to keep accounts of their dealing activities as
well as detailed information on goods exchanged.

"It is important that people who deal in cultural goods correctly can be
separated from the black sheep," said Raschèr.

Under the new law, the period after which cultural goods of unknown origin –
often stolen – can legally come onto the Swiss market will increase from
five to 30 years.

However, the law does not apply to works of art whose purchase price is less
than SFr5,000 ($4,000).

A specialist unit at the Federal Culture Office will be responsible for
monitoring the trade in cultural goods and ensuring it complies with the new
legislation.
 
Cultural inheritance
 
This will also play an important role in preserving the world’s cultural
heritage and in preventing theft, plundering and the illegal import and
export of cultural goods. 

Extra diligence will be applied to archaeological artefacts.

"Import/export is of course focused on archaeological and ethnological goods
because they are the biggest problems – you can’t check what comes out of
the earth," said Raschèr. 

"These are the main goods for the identity of a nation and this is what most
countries – including Switzerland – protect very strongly."
 
Trade hub
 
Switzerland ratified the 1970 United Nation’s Unesco Convention only in
2003. This regulates the transfer of cultural objects in 94 nations and
encourages international cooperation.

The Federal Culture Office says Switzerland is among the art world’s five
biggest trade hubs. The import and export of cultural goods is a SFr1.5
billion market in Switzerland.

"Internationally, stolen works of art make up the third-biggest illegal
market behind drugs and the arms trade," said Raschèr.

The problem has always been particularly acute in Switzerland due to the
lack of legislation.
 
Gold star
 
However, Switzerland has notched up some successes regarding illegal
trafficking of cultural goods.

In 2002 the bronze and gold "Sky Disk of Nebra" caused a global sensation
when it appeared from nowhere on the international antiquities market.

The 12-inch disk, which dates back to 1,600BC, is the world’s oldest image
of the cosmos.

Its seller claimed it had been looted in 1999 by illegal treasure hunters
with a metal detector from Nebra in Saxony-Anhalt, in the former East
Germany.

In fact it had been stolen amid the confusion of German reunification and
had been on the black market for years with an asking price of up to $10
million.

Archaeological artefacts are the property of the state in Saxony-Anhalt and
following a sting by Swiss police in Basel, the disk was returned to
Germany.

swissinfo, Thomas Stephens 
 
 

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
----
 
URL of this story
http://www.swissinfo.org/sen/swissinfo.html?siteSect=105&sid=5826790 
  
Related Sites 
Federal Culture Office (German, French, Italian):
http://www.kultur-schweiz.admin.ch/ 
Text of new Swiss law (French):
http://www.culture-suisse.admin.ch/arkgt/kgt/files/LTBC_f.pdf 
Unesco:
http://portal.unesco.org/en/ev.php-URL_ID=15006&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=
201.html 
Unesco 1970 convention:
http://www.unesco.org/culture/laws/1970/html_eng/page1.shtml 
Unesco - cultural property: its illicit trafficking and restitution:  
 
http://portal.unesco.org/culture/en/ev.php-URL_ID=2633&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_S
ECTION=201.html 
The Hague convention of 1954:
http://www.unesco.org/culture/laws/hague/html_eng/page1.shtml 
Interpol: Stolen works of art:
http://www.interpol.int/Public/WorkOfArt/Default.asp