The Cross-Border Transfer of Cultural Assets in the European Union

In: Barometr regionalny: analizy i prognozy, Band 13, Heft 3, S. 25-32

Abstract

Monuments and mementoes of cultural assets are taken very special care of by descendant heirs, as a form of national heritage. The Hague Convention of 1954 introduced regulations concerning the definition of a cultural asset. The Convention drawn up in Paris, in 1970, extended the scope of international legal protection in case of conflicts and armaments. It also extended notions which regulate the status of — e.g., rare collections. In 1976, the Convention signed in Paris clarified identification and definition of any kind of assets belonging to the countries which are the parties of the agreement, and determined their borders. The member states of the EU act pursuant to the regulations of the EU law and domestic law. After the accession to the Community, Poland adopted the EU law, which has to be direct and superior to domestic regulations. The EU and domestic legal regulations concerning the issue of the transfer of cultural assets — monuments within the Community and with third countries, are applicable to their export to other member states of the EU and within not regulated areas on the Community level, as well as to third countries.