OIMAP values

Integrity means drawing no personal advantage from one's position. It applies to staff, committee members and accredited experts, who sign a declaration of interests renewed every year.

It also requires reporting any breaches observed, through a confidential channel that protects whistleblowers.

The opinions given by experts, notably on authenticity, rest on recognized methods and may be dictated neither by a State nor by a market player. The 360 accredited experts undertake to give reasons for their conclusions.

When an expert is in a situation of conflict of interest, he or she recuses. This simple rule protects the credibility of certificates.

The Organization works through networks: national focal points, experts, customs, museums, universities. No institution can fight trafficking or guarantee a healthy market alone.

Cooperation takes place among Member States, but also with international organizations and the private sector, under cooperation agreements.

The Organization publishes its accounts, activity reports, public procurement and main decisions. Requests for access to information receive a reply within thirty days.

Transparency is not absolute: certain sensitive data, such as ongoing investigations, remain confidential. The grounds for non-disclosure are always stated.

A cultural object is not merely a market item. It carries a history, sometimes a sacred one, for the community from which it comes. The Organization takes this into account when processing restitution requests and in its recommendations on tribal art.

It encourages dialogue between holders, States and communities, and supports negotiated solutions rather than prolonged litigation.