States parties to the UNESCO Convention 1970

The number of States parties has risen steadily since 1972, with a surge after several major importing countries joined in the 2000s. The latest ratifications mainly concern States in Africa and Asia, which have significant heritage and need a framework for cooperation.

OIMAP's annual monitoring lists, for each Member State, the date of ratification, the implementing law, and the existence of an inventory and an export certificate. It feeds a public dashboard.

A State's official status is kept up to date by UNESCO, the Convention's depositary. OIMAP reproduces the information in each Member State's sheet, with additional details on transposition and national procedures.

For an operator, the useful question is not only whether the State is a party, but since when, with what reservations and which law. A recent ratification may not yet have produced an implementing law, which leaves an area of uncertainty.

Each year, the Secretariat publishes a dashboard on the implementation of the Convention in Member States: ratifications, laws, inventories, export certificates, restitutions obtained. This dashboard is the basis for dialogue with national focal points.

States invited to ratify are supported by OIMAP lawyers, who help them understand the obligations, assess the legislative adjustments needed and plan a realistic calendar.