Geneva Office Missions

The head of the office or their deputy represents OIMAP at technical meetings held in Geneva. They present the positions adopted by the Organization's bodies and report on the exchanges to the Secretary-General.

Representation is always exercised within the mandate defined by the Statutes: OIMAP observes, regulates and protects, without replacing States.

The office follows draft texts, decisions of bodies and reports of partner organizations that concern cultural goods. From these it produces monitoring notes addressed to the Regulation and Law Directorate.

This monitoring focuses primarily on the reference conventions, on the rules governing the circulation of goods and on measures against money laundering linked to the art market.

The office organizes meetings with the region's focal points, prepares expert missions and follows bilateral agreements. It ensures that each State's needs are passed on to the technical directorates.

The training and certification activities carried out with these States fall within the framework of technical cooperation.

Several Member States have a permanent mission in Geneva. The office provides them with information on the Organization's procedures, relays their requests and invites them to the information sessions held before each General Assembly.

It also provides logistical support to delegations taking part in the Organization's meetings in Europe.

The Geneva office does not process certification requests and does not receive works. These tasks fall to the Paris Desk. Nor can it commit the Organisation financially without the approval of headquarters.

This division of responsibilities ensures consistent decisions and the traceability of files.