New German art export laws (ctd.)
July 18 2016
Picture: artnet
The German government has finally passed legislation to compel vendors of 'cultural goods' to provide documentary proof of provenance for over 20 years, and an export licence for anything worth over €2,500. The law was intended to address public concerns over looted antiquities from the Middle East. But unsurprisingly, this dramatic extension of costly bureacracy has already led to two major German auction houses (including Lempertz in Cologne) taking the dramatic decision to move a number of sales to locations outside Germany. More here in The Antiques Trade Gazette.
