UNESCO Database of National Cultural Heritage Laws Updated
The UNESCO Database of National Cultural Heritage Laws was launched in 2005 with the financial support of the US Department of State. It is the unique tool which allows a free and easy access to cultural heritage laws currently in force as well as a rapid consultation of other relevant national cultural rules and regulations.
This quarterly Newsletter is initiated to inform the Database users about the recent updates and uploads on the website. Furthermore, it provides information about future workshops and meetings, on regional and international levels, in particular where the Database will be promoted.
2756 laws of 188 Member States are published on the Database website. There have been 10,812 researches and 1,196.049 impressions in the last three months.
By compiling on the Internet the national laws of the Member States, UNESCO offers all stakeholders (governments, customs, art dealers, organizations, lawyers, buyers ...) a complete source of information easily accessible. If legal question about the origin of an object (stolen, looted, exported, imported or acquired illegally), it is indeed useful to quickly check the relevant national legislation.
The UNESCO Database of National Cultural Heritage Laws allows searching:
- National legislation for the protection of cultural heritage in general;
- Certificates for export and / or import cultural property (on request);
- Translations, official or otherwise, of national laws and certificates;
- Details of the competent national authorities in the field of cultural heritage;
- The addresses of the official national websites dedicated to the protection of cultural heritage.
The countries which have recently submitted new or updated Cultural legislation are the following:
Andorra
(Legislation uploaded online in March 2015)
Decret del 6-4-2005 pel qual s'aprova el Reglament de l'Arxiu Nacional d'Andorra
Slovakia
(Legislation uploaded online in April 2015)
Panama
(Legislation uploaded online in April 2015)
Ley Nr.21 de 1997
Ley Nr.136 de 31 de diciembre de 2013
Ley Nr. 32 de 19 de octubre de 1954
Ley Nr.17 sobre monumentos historicos de 2002
Decreto Nr.364 por el cual se declaran unos bienes de propriedad nacional (1979)
Decreto Ley Nr. 3 de 8 de julio de 1999
Constitucion politica con reformas de noviembre de 2004
Resolucion Nr.43 de 1993
Resolucion Nr.012 de 1993 sobre la conservacion del archivo nacional
Resolucion Nr 6 de 30 de enero de 1997
Resolucion Nr.31 de 24 de abril de 2002
Resolucion Nr.42 de 24 de abril de 2008
Resolucion Nr. 172 de 27 de diciembre de 2011
Resolucion Nr. 36 de 24 de septiembre de 2013
Saudi Arabia
(Legislation uploaded online in April 2015)
Statutes of the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities
Antiquities, Museums and Architectural Heritage Law
Islamic Republic of Iran
(Legislation uploaded online in April 2015)
The law on punishment of saboteurs on the country’s economic system 1991
Punishment Law: Chapter 9: Destruction of historical/cultural properties 1996
Public Accounting Act (articles 114-115)
Thailand
(Legislation uploaded online in May 2015)
Act on ancient monuments, antiques, objects of art and national museums of 1961
Tanzania
(Legislation uploaded online in May 2015)
The Stone Town Conservation and Development Authority Act of 2010
Estonia
(Legislation submitted in May 2015, but not yet uploaded online due to a technical problem. For a copy of these texts, please contact the Database manager: s.al-tabbal(at)unesco.org)
Heritage Conservation Act (2015)
Museums Act (2014)
Intra-community transport, export and import of cultural objects Act (2015)
Act on the return of cultural objects unlawfully removed from the territory of a Member State of the European Union (2014)
Hungary
(Legislation submitted in May 2015, but not yet uploaded online due to a technical problem. For a copy of this text, please contact the Database manager: s.al-tabbal(at)unesco.org)
Cultural heritage institutions (2014)
NEW COUNTRIES WHICH LEGISLATION IS PUBLISHED ONLINE
Brunei Darussalam
(New legislation uploaded online in March 2015)
Antiquities and Treasure Trove Act