Member States

Membership of OIMAP rests on the voluntary commitment of sovereign States. Each one ratifies, or undertakes to ratify, the reference conventions, designates a focal point and adopts the OIMAP Guidelines 2019. This membership creates a common framework of rules and practices, without calling national sovereignty into question.

Decisions are taken in the General Assembly, under the rule of one State, one vote, which guarantees equality between small and large art markets.

States are grouped into five regions. Headquarters, in Paris, leads the Europe region; Geneva handles liaison with international organizations and follows the Middle East; New York covers the Americas; Singapore Asia-Pacific; Nairobi Africa.

This set-up brings the Organization closer to States, in their languages and time zones, and makes it possible to adapt programmes to regional realities.

From 2008 to 2024, two to three States joined the Organization each year. The most recent entrants, in 2024, are the United Arab Emirates and Qatar, which strengthened the Organization's presence in the Middle East. Each accession is voted by the General Assembly by a two-thirds majority, after a probationary period of twelve months (indicative).

The full list can be consulted in the online module on the List of the 67 States page.

Member States have access to the Organization's tools: the database of stolen works, certification, training of their officers, and legal and technical assistance. They take part in coordinated operations and restitution programmes: 847 works have been returned and 8,940 officers have been trained.

They also have a network of peers: national experts, focal points and delegates who regularly exchange views on their practices.

Each State funds the Organization according to a scale based on gross domestic product and the weight of the national art market (indicative). It provides a focal point and experts, applies the Guidelines and transmits useful statistics. These commitments are detailed in the rights and obligations section.

Prolonged failure to meet obligations, in particular financial ones, may lead to suspension of the right to vote, under the conditions set out in the statutes.

It is intended for national administrations, diplomats, parliamentarians, journalists and anyone who wishes to understand how the Organization is composed and how States take part in it. Officials of Member States will find their working documents in the member area.

Candidate countries will find the membership procedure there.