Join OIMAP

A Member State has one vote in the General Assembly and gains access to the members' area, country profiles, the network of national experts and technical cooperation. It takes part in drawing up the standards and recommendations that structure the art market and the protection of heritage.

Membership also gives access to bilateral restitution agreements, customs training and joint operations, and connects the State to the Organisation's alert systems in the event of theft or trafficking.

Admission takes place in stages. The applicant submits an official request, which is subject to a technical review by the Organisation's services. The General Assembly then votes on admission by a two-thirds majority, and a probationary period of about twelve months (indicative) begins.

During this period, the State puts in place the necessary measures: appointment of the focal point, transposition of the directives, first contributions. The assessment is presented to the Assembly before confirmation.

The applicant ratifies, or undertakes to ratify, the reference conventions: the 1954 Hague Protocol on the protection of cultural property in the event of armed conflict, the 1970 UNESCO Convention and the 1995 UNIDROIT Convention. It also adopts the OIMAP Guidelines 2019, including Directive No. 2019-07 on the authentication of cultural property.

These texts form the common foundation. They ensure that all Member States speak the same legal language when they cooperate.

A contact person from the Member States Relations Directorate is assigned as soon as the request is submitted. They explain the steps, review the documents in the file and put the applicant in touch with Member States from the same region, who share their experience.

The regional offices in Paris, Geneva, New York, Singapore and Nairobi can organise a preparatory on-site mission at the applicant State's request.

Since the twenty-three founding States of 2007, two or three States have joined the Organisation each year between 2008 and 2024. The most recent arrivals, in 2024, are the United Arab Emirates and Qatar.

The diversity of its members, from major market centres to heritage-rich countries, is the Organisation's strength and enriches the quality of its decisions.