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Trade bodies condemn UNESCO proposals to regulate art market
Led by CINOA, the international trade federation for art and antiques dealers, industry bodies across the world have reacted strongly to what they see as “very alarming” proposals from UNESCO to regulate the art market.
W.C.O. data backs trade view of cultural heritage crime once again
The latest World Customs Organisation figures show yet again that illicit trade in cultural goods is much lower than anti-trade campaigners claim.
The war in Ukraine
ADA Members are aware and deeply saddened by the devastating consequences of the unfolding human tragedy in Ukraine. It is a country with a rich history from the earliest times and while Ukrainian origin antiquities are not so commonly found in our market, ADA...
Latest Views
The EU’s new art market clampdown is neither just nor proportionate – if only we could sue
Supranational authority’s failure to join the European Convention of Human Rights – despite promising to 15 years ago – protects it from legal action by citizens unfairly suffering under import licensing law Although every member state is a signatory to the European...
Where do ethics, morals and the law really lie in India’s claim to the Piprahwa gem relics?
Sotheby’s proposed sale acts as a useful study in the dispute over rights between nations and individuals when it comes to cultural property Much in the news has been Sotheby’s proposed (and then suspended) sale of the Piprahwa Gems, a collection of gem relic...
Why the World Customs Organisation’s claims about cultural goods trafficking don’t add up
The World Customs Organisation (WCO) finally seems to have all but given up when it comes to an accurate and detailed analysis of trafficking and the art market, if its 2022 and 2023 Illicit Trade Reports are anything to go by. Several wild claims of trafficking worth...