Under Article VIII of UNESCO’s Constitution, Member States are required to submit a report on the legislative and administrative provisions that they have adopted and on other measures taken to implement the conventions and recommendations adopted by the Organization. In accordance with Resolution 38 of the 32nd General Conference of UNESCO the periodicity for submitting these reports on the implementation of the 1970 Convention is set to a 4-year interval.

Since the last periodic reporting cycle (2015), the Subsidiary Committee has taken strides to improve the efficiency and effectivity of periodic reporting cycles. Notably, at its fourth session, an amended reporting form was adopted with a view to better enable the collection of information on new trends and developments in the fight against the illicit trafficking of cultural property. Furthermore, the fifth session of the Subsidiary Committee adopted a decision welcoming the proposal to develop an electronic reporting tool. 

As such, the Secretariat launched, mid-October 2018, the new electronic periodic reporting cycle for 2019 and invites all States Parties to submit their national report. This new tool aims at developing a comprehensive searchable database encompassing policies, legislative systems, implementation and operative frameworks of States Parties. In addition, it will present facts regarding good practices and international cooperation, as well as up to date statistics concerning thefts, illegal excavations, seizures and restitutions.

In addition to the purpose of periodic reporting in terms of monitoring and updating relevant information concerning the illicit trafficking of cultural property, the electronic reporting system will significantly contribute to the institutional memory of the 1970 Convention. Furthermore, it will present all the data for each State Party in a clear and concise user-friendly manner which will ensure well-informed and consistent information relating to illicit trafficking trends overtime for each State Party of the Convention, as well as well-informed decision making.

States can submit their report until 4 February 2019 when the electronic reporting tool platform will be closed automatically with no possibility for late submissions.

The periodic reports submitted will be summarized and analyzed in a final report to be presented at the seventh session of the Subsidiary Committee of the Meeting of States Parties to the 1970 Convention to be held on 22 and 23 May 2019.

Reports were received by the Secretariat in 1978, 1983, 1987, 1995, 2003, 2007, 2011 and 2015.