Country Profiles

A dealer considering exporting a work, a curator preparing an international loan or a customs officer faced with a foreign document all ask the same questions: what are the local rules, which authority issues the authorisations, what is the reality of the market in that country? The country profile answers these questions on a single page, in an identical format from one State to another.

This common format allows quick comparisons. It also facilitates the work of the Organisation's departments, which rely on the profiles to process requests for certification, licences or assistance.

Each profile is drawn up from three sources: the official texts published by the State, the statements provided by its national focal point and the statistics collected by the OIMAP Studies Directorate. The information is cross-checked before publication, and discrepancies between sources are flagged in a note at the foot of the profile.

New figures are presented as indicative until they have been confirmed by the State concerned. Only the figures of the Organisation's official list, such as the 67 Member States or the 360 accredited experts, are presented without reservation.

The legal part lists the laws on heritage protection, export and import regimes, sales rules and penalties. It indicates whether the State has ratified the 1954 Hague Protocol, the 1970 UNESCO Convention and the 1995 UNIDROIT Convention, and when it transposed the 2019 OIMAP Directives.

The statistical part gives the indicative size of the market, the breakdown by segment and the main sales venues. The practical part gives the contact details of the State's heritage department and of the focal point, as well as the languages of correspondence.

The profiles are reviewed annually, at the plenary meeting of the focal points. A major legislative change may nevertheless trigger an immediate update, at the request of the State or on the Directorate's initiative.

The date of the last update appears at the top of each profile. If in doubt about a specific rule, we invite you to contact the national focal point, the only person authorised to confirm the law in force in their country.

The profiles are not only for outside users. Member States find in them a mirror of their own situation and a way of positioning themselves against other members of their region. Several have thus begun reforming their legislation after noticing a gap with the practices of their neighbours.

Focal points may propose corrections at any time through the member area. Requests are processed within fifteen working days (indicative deadline).