Mattarella signs: cultural property export reform will be in effect Aug. 29

In the end, despite appeals, President of the Republic Sergio Mattarella signed the annual market and competition law, approved a few days ago in the Senate. The law, published in the Official Gazette (OJ General Series No. 189, Aug. 14, 2017) is thus enacted. It will enter into force next August 29.

The law, as it is known, contains the reform of the export of cultural goods, which includes the increase from 50 to 70 years of age of the threshold for the evaluation of the Superintendence for the purpose of granting the certificate of free movement of works of art (works made before 70 years ago, will therefore not have to go through the officials’ scrutiny before being exported), the introduction of a threshold of 13.500 euros below which works will be allowed to circulate freely, subject to self-certification (the Superintendencies will be able to make spot checks), and the introduction of a “passport” for works, lasting five years, to facilitate their exit and return from and to the national territory. We are talking, of course, about works in the possession of private citizens. Public property specified in Article 54 of the Cultural Heritage Code remains inalienable.

In the days of the debate, we had interviewed experts on the reform: you can read the interview for and against.

Image: Sergio Mattarella. Copyright Presidency of the Italian Republic.

Mattarella signs: cultural property export reform will be in effect Aug. 29

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