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ISBN 978-3-8487-4757-3

Rethinking EU Cultural Property Law: Towards Private Enforcement

Matthias Weller

Schriften zum Kunst- und Kulturrecht

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Schriften zum Kunst- und Kulturrecht

Edited byProf. Dr. Kerstin von der Decken, Universität KielProf. Dr. Frank Fechner, Technische Universität IlmenauProf. Dr. Dres. h.c. Burkhard Hess, Max Planck Institute Luxembourg for International, European and Regulatory Procedural LawProf. Dr. iur. Dr. phil. h.c. Peter Michael Lynen, Hochschule für Musik und Tanz KölnProf. Dr. Rainer J. Schweizer, Universität St. GallenProf. Dr. Armin Stolz, Universität GrazProf. Dr. Matthias Weller, Mag. rer. publ., Universität Bonn

Vol. 26

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Matthias Weller

Rethinking EU Cultural Property Law: Towards Private Enforcement

Nomos

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication DataWeller, MatthiasRethinking EU Cultural Property Law: Towards Private EnforcementMatthias Weller174 p.Includes bibliographic references.

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Table of Contents

Study on the European added value of legislative actionon cross-border restitution claims of works of art andcultural goods looted in armed conflicts and wars withspecial regard to aspects of private law, privateinternational law and civil procedure

Part I:

13

Executive Summary 15

Terms of ReferenceChapter 1 - 19

Mission: Tackling legal uncertainty within the civil lawdimension of cross-border restitution claims by EU legis‐lative action

I.

19Overall objective: Improving “private enforcement” againstlooting of art and cultural property

II.19

Reason: Limited scope and success of public enforcementIII. 20Caveats: Procedural and material justice of civil lawIV. 22Incomplete history of public and private “partnership” inthe protection of cultural property

V.23

Support for a comprehensive regulatory framework by theUnited Nations

VI.25

Focal points of an effective private enforcement for claimsfor restitution of looted cultural property by EU legislativeaction

VII.

26

On the scale of illicit trade with Looted CulturalProperty

Chapter 2 -27

The global art market: Up to USD 57 billion per annum?I. 27Illicit trade: Up to USD 8 billion per annum?II. 27ILLICID: A German pilot project for investigating theillicit art market

III.28

Figures from Databases in the fieldIV. 29INTERPOL1. 29Art Loss Register2. 29

7

Lost Art Database (Nazi Looted Art)3. 30Central Registry of Information on Looted CulturalProperty 1933 - 1945 (Nazi Looted Art)

4.30

Many more recent signs of concernV. 30UN Security Council Resolution 2347 (24 March 2017)1. 31Terrorism and Illicit Finance Subcommittee of the USHouse of Representatives (23 June 2017)

2.32

FBI Report “Art Theft” (3 May 2017)3. 32Council of Europe Convention on Offences relating toCultural Property (3 May 2017)

4.33

European Commission Proposal for a Regulation on theimport of cultural goods (July 2017)

5.34

RecommendationsVI. 34

Focal Points of Private LawChapter 3 - 36

International jurisdiction for the restitution of cultural prop‐erty

I.36

General observations on the EU system of internationaljurisdiction for civil matters

1.36

Need for a special ground of jurisdiction based on thelocation of movable cultural property

2.37

Legislative Reaction of the EU: Article 7 no. 4 BrusselsIbis Regulation

3.39

Issues in relation to Article 7 no. 4 Brussels Ibis Regu‐lation

4.39

Definition of “cultural property”a. 40Fragmentationb. 42

Status quo(1) 42Different results without reason(2) 44In particular: Similar but not identical definitionof cultural object under the UNIDROIT Conven‐tion and Article 7 no. 4 Brussels Ibis Regulation

(3)

45Declaratory Reliefc. 46

Recommendation and Policy Options5. 46Option 1: Introducing jurisdiction in rem for movableproperty

a.46

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Option 2: Using the definition of cultural property ofArticle 2 UNIDROIT Convention in Article 7 no. 4Brussels Ibis Regulation

b.

47Option 3: Spelling out the definition of Article 2 ofDirective 2014/60/EU directly in Article 7 no. 4Brussels Ibis Regulation

c.

47Option 4: Updating the reference in Article 7 no. 4Brussels Ibis

d.47

Immunity for cultural property on loan in foreign statesII. 48Context1. 48Fundamental distinction: Legislative immunity grantedby a state and immunity from seizure under customarypublic international law

2.

49Case studies3. 51

Exhibition “Treasures of the Sons of Heaven” atBonn, Germany

a.51

Exhibition “DYNAMIK! Kubismus / Futurismus /KINETISMUS” at the Belvedere, Austria

b.53

Exhibition “From Russia” (Pouchkin MuseumMoscow) in London

c.54

Exhition from the Stedelijk Museum of Amsterdam toNew York (“Malevich case”)

d.54

State legislation (“anti-seizure legislation”)4. 55Fragmentation in the EU and beyonda. 55Unclear relation between national anti-seizure statutesand Directive 2014/60/EU

b.58

Exception for Nazi Looted Art?c. 60State Immunity under Public Customary InternationalLaw

5.60

Legal Foundationa. 61Treaty Law(1) 61Customary International Law(2) 62

Conclusion: Rule of customary international lawexists, but uncertainties remain

b.67

Recommendations6. 67Joint Declaration on immunity from seizure forcultural property of foreign states on loan for thepurpose of cultural exchange in other states

a.

67

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Harmonization of state legislation on legislativeimmunity

b.68

Clarifying the relation between anti-seizure legislationof the Member States and Directive 2014/60/EU

c.68

Choice of lawIII. 69Different concepts in the legal regimes on property law1. 69Choice of law issues2. 72

Design elements of a choice of law rule for theacquisition of cultural property

a.72

Recommendation: Harmonized choice of law rulealong the lines of Article 90 of the Belgian Code ofPrivate International Law

b.

73Application of foreign public lawc. 75

Recommendation3. 76Substantive LawIV. 78

Fundamental differences in the substantive laws of theMember States

1.79

Recommendation and Policy Options2. 79Policy Option 1: Encouraging the remaining EUMember States to accede to the 1995 UNIDROITConvention

a.

79Policy Option 2: Incorporating Chapter II of the 1995UNIDROIT Convention into EU secondary law (e.g.as new part of Directive 2014/60/EU)

b.

81Policy Option 3: Adopting Articles VIII.-3:101 andVIII.-4:102 DCFR

c.82

Policy Option 4: Introducing a general prohibition ofsale and acquisition for stolen and illegally exported/imported cultural property

d.

84The special issue of Nazi Looted ArtV. 87

No retroactive legislation1. 88Sales law for transactions in the future2. 90

Case study: The auction of Lodovico Carraci's “St.Jerome” (Max Stern Gallery) by Lempertz

a.90

Recommendation: Defining the sellers due diligenceand the buyer's remedies under a European sales lawwhen Nazi looted art is sold

b.

92Property law in respect to Nazi looted art3. 95

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Invalidity of “foiced sale” transactions from 1933 to1945

a.95

Validity of “non-forced sale” transactions from 1933to 1945

b.98

Burden of proof for invalidity of transaction during1933 to 1945

c.98

Valid post-war good faith acquisition / prescription inmany (not all) cases

d.100

No retroactive legislation on good faith acquisitions /prescription in the past

e.100

Case study: The Schwabing Art Trove (“Gurlitt case”)f. 101Recommendation: No retroactive legislationg. 102

Just and fair solutions beyond the law4. 103Backgrounda. 104Increasingly diverging and contradictory restitutionrecommendations

b.105

Recommendation: (Non-binding) Restatement ofRestitution Principles

c.108

Complementary MeasuresVI. 109Cross-linking provenance research amongst local andnational institutions and entities

1.109

Common Cataloguing System / Object IDs2. 112Alternative Dispute Resolution3. 113EU Agency on Cultural Property Protection4. 114

European Added Value by Proposed MeasuresChapter 4 - 116

Conclusions of the European Added Value Assessment(Christian Salm)

Part II:117

Introduction 119

The illegal art market, legal challenges and indicators on the amountof restitution claims 123

EU Policy Context 126

Weaknesses in the existing EU legal system 128

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Possible EU legislative action 132

European Added Value 135

Draft Opinion of the Committee on Culture andEducation

Part III:137

AmendmentsPart IV: 141

Bibliography 163

Secondary SourcesA. 163Legislative and Governmental MaterialsB. 169Treaties/ConventionsC. 171EU instrumentsD. 172National legislationE. 172CasesF. 173

Table of Contents

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