Observe · Regulate · Protect — since 2007. 19th OIMAP General Assembly: Singapore, 10–12 June 2026. Programme
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Mission and Mandate

The founding treaty, the mandate and the values that have guided OIMAP's action since 2007.

Updated : October 28, 2026· 4 min read

Pages in this section

The Grotto of Posillipo, Hubert Robert (c. 1769)The OIMAP StatutesThe 2007 constituent treaty: structure, members' rights and rules of revision.› Roman Ruins, Villa Pamfili, Hubert Robert (1774)The Organization's mandateThe six missions entrusted to OIMAP and how they translate into daily practice.› Small Mosque in the Kaiserbagh, Felice A. Beato (1858)OIMAP valuesIntegrity, scientific independence, cooperation, transparency and respect for communities of origin.›

Observe, regulate, protect

The Victory Banquet: from Battle Scenes of the Quelling of Rebellions in the Western Regions, with Imperial Poems (c. 1765–74; poem dated 1760)
The Victory Banquet: from Battle Scenes of the Quelling of Rebellions in the Western Regions, with Imperial Poems (c. 1765–74; poem dated 1760)

OIMAP is an intergovernmental organization founded in 2007 by 23 pioneering States. It now brings together 67 Member States and works for an art and heritage market that is transparent, secure and respectful of communities of origin.

This section presents the Statutes, the mandate entrusted to the General Secretariat and the values of the Organization.

  • Mission
  • Mandate
  • Statutes

Mission and mandate in figures

2007Year of foundation
23Founding States
67Member States
6Missions of the mandate

Source: OIMAP General Secretariat.

Three Pages

The Doge's Palace, Venice, Richard Parkes Bonington (1826)LawStatutes

The 2007 treaty.

›Interior Drawer for Cabinet, André-Charles Boulle (c. 1690)MissionsMandate

Observe, regulate, protect.

›Eighteen Views of Rome: The Piazza Farnese (recto), Lievin Cruyl (1664)EthicsValues

Five principles of action.

›

Breakdown

ObserveData and monitoring
RegulateStandards and guidelines
ProtectBIOP and restitutions
CertifyDesk
TrainAcademy
ArbitrateDisputes

Indicative relative weight of the six missions in the Organization's activity.

Portrait of John VIII Palaoelogus, Emperor of Constantinople, 1424-1428 (reverse), Pisanello (c. 1438–1439)
Portrait of John VIII Palaoelogus, Emperor of Constantinople, 1424-1428 (reverse), Pisanello (c. 1438–1439)
Sketch of the Labyrinth of the Villa Pisani, Francesco Guardi (1773–1778(?))
Sketch of the Labyrinth of the Villa Pisani, Francesco Guardi (1773–1778(?))
Towel End (c 1700s- 1800s)
Towel End (c 1700s- 1800s)

An organization born of a treaty

OIMAP rests on a constituent treaty, the Statutes, signed in 2007 by twenty-three States. This text gives it international legal personality: it can conclude agreements, own property, bring legal proceedings and enjoy the privileges necessary for its functioning.

The Statutes define the organs, the rights and obligations of members and the powers of the General Secretariat. They may be amended only by the General Assembly, by a qualified majority.

A mandate in six missions

The Organization's mandate is summed up in its motto: Observe, Regulate, Protect. It is broken down into six concrete missions: observing the market, regulating through common standards, protecting cultural property, certifying works, training professionals and arbitrating disputes.

Each mission corresponds to one or more directorates of the General Secretariat and to a standing committee responsible for monitoring its implementation before the Member States.

Values that guide decisions

Five values structure day-to-day work: integrity, scientific independence, cooperation, transparency and respect for communities of origin. They are set out in the code of conduct that applies to all staff and experts.

These values are not decorative. They serve as criteria when the Organization arbitrates between conflicting interests, for example between a good-faith purchaser and a State claiming an object.

Action in the service of States

OIMAP does not replace States. It provides them with a common framework, technical tools and a space for dialogue. Decisions of general scope are taken by the States themselves, meeting in the General Assembly.

The General Secretariat carries out these decisions and reports on their implementation at each session. This separation between political decision and technical execution underpins the credibility of the whole.

The six missions at a glance

The six missions of the mandate
MissionConcrete applicationLead directorate
ObserveMarket barometer, statisticsMarket and Studies
RegulateGuidelines and recommendationsRegulation and Law
ProtectStolen works database, restitutionsProtection (BIOP)
CertifyCertificates and work passportsCertification (Desk)
TrainCurriculum for staff and expertsOIMAP Academy
ArbitrateMediation and arbitrationRegulation and Law

Milestones

  1. Signing of the Statutes

    Twenty-three States create the Organization in Paris.

  2. Enlargement

    The Organization passes the forty-member mark (indicative).

  3. OIMAP Directives

    Adoption of seven binding directives.

  4. 19th General Assembly

    Singapore, 10–12 June.

Capriccio: A Palace with a Courtyard by the Lagoon, Antonio Canaletto (c. 1750–55)
Capriccio: A Palace with a Courtyard by the Lagoon, Antonio Canaletto (c. 1750–55)
The Dance at the Court of Herod, Israhel van Meckenem (c. 1500)
The Dance at the Court of Herod, Israhel van Meckenem (c. 1500)
The Old Market, Cleveland, Frank Wilcox (1920)
The Old Market, Cleveland, Frank Wilcox (1920)

A treaty, not a mere charter

Statutes and mandate

The birth of Rama and his brothers, from Chapter 17 of the Bala Kanda (Book of Childhood) of the Adhyatma Ramayana (Rama's Journey of the Su (c. 1820–30)

The Statutes

The legal text
  • Establish the organs
  • Define the rights of members
  • Amended in Assembly

The lasting framework.

Coronation of the Virgin, Christoffel Jegher (1632–36)

The mandate

The operational mission
  • Six missions
  • Entrusted to the General Secretariat
  • Assessed every year

Day-to-day action.

Browse the section

  1. Read the Statutes

    Understand the legal framework.

  2. Consult the mandate

    Identify the six missions.

  3. Discover the values

    Learn the principles.

  4. Explore governance

    See who decides.

Key facts

A Diplomat Posted in Geneva

Eighteen Views of Rome: The Piazza Farnese (recto); Cartouche (verso), Lievin Cruyl (1664)
« The Statutes provide a common language: whatever the State's legal tradition, everyone knows what the Organization can and cannot do. »
Hélène Marchetti, legal adviser, permanent mission (example)

Vocabulary

Constituent treaty
Founding text that creates the Organization and sets its rules.
Legal personality
Capacity to act in one's own name under international law.
Mandate
All the missions entrusted to the Organization.
Community of origin
Human group from which a cultural object originates.

Read this section

The three pages that follow answer three questions: what text is the Organization based on, what must it do, and according to what principles. They complement one another and can be read in any order.

To understand who decides, see the Governance section. To find out who implements, see the General Secretariat.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is OIMAP a United Nations agency?

No. It is an independent intergovernmental organization that cooperates with the United Nations system.

What are the official languages?

French, English and Spanish.

Where can I consult the Statutes?
Who oversees the execution of the mandate?

The General Assembly, with the support of the Executive Council and the committees.

Useful Documents

Contacts

Temple at Naveshera, Kashmir, India, Samuel Bourne (1864)
Temple at Naveshera, Kashmir, India, Samuel Bourne (1864)
General SecretariatParis — Headquarters+33 1 00 00 00 00secretariat@oimap.exampleMonday to Friday, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Read the Statutes

Cabinet Plate, W. T. Copeland & Sons (1883)

The Organization's founding text.

Statutes
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