Ongoing restitution cases

Admissibility checks that the request is complete and falls within OIMAP's competence. Investigation gathers the evidence, hears the parties and commissions experts. Negotiation seeks an agreement. The decision comes, failing agreement, through mediation or arbitration. The physical return organises the handover of the work.

Each step gives rise to a report sent to the parties. They may at any time ask for clarification or make observations.

The most numerous cases concern thefts from collections or museums, sometimes old, where the work has reappeared on the market. Next come looted archaeological objects, claimed by States of origin, then historical spoliations, which require long and painstaking archive work.

A few cases concern illicit exports, where a work left a State in breach of its legislation. Their handling depends on the law of the State of origin and the applicable conventions.

The parties have a secure space on the Desk. They check progress there, file documents, exchange with the case handler and receive summonses. A dashboard shows the next steps and expected deadlines.

Information on ongoing cases is confidential. Only aggregated statistics are published, and a few cases are presented with the parties' agreement when they are of educational interest.

Some cases, notably those concerning historical spoliations or property from colonial contexts, have a political and memorial dimension. They are handled by a dedicated team, with the support of historians and specialised lawyers.

Confidentiality is stronger there, and negotiated solutions take various forms: definitive return, long-term loan, copy or sharing. The aim is a lasting solution, accepted by all parties.