A guide to the export and import of cultural goods between Russia ...

Spain
age with the participation of the Board or
Junta for the Classification, Appraisal and
Export of Goods that form part of Spanish
Historical Heritage.
A number of regions have competences in
the field of the protection of national heritage.
Their competent authorities are involved
in some of the relevant procedures:
examination of export permit applications,
start of procedures for the classification
and protection of specific objects, etc.
Some regions have the right to refuse the
issuance of an export permit. In all cases,
though, export permits are issued by the
Directorate General.
The Tax Inspectorate’s Customs Department,
together with the Guardia Civil perform
the control of exports and imports
at Spain’s borders (see contact details
below).
Do I need an export licence?
Spanish legislation protects the goods
that form part of the Patrimonio Histórico,
or Historic Heritage. According to Law
16/1985, the Historic Heritage comprises
goods (movable and immovable) of artistic,
historic, palaeontological, archaeological,
ethnographic, scientific or technical value.
Historic Heritage also includes goods of
documentary and bibliographic heritage, as
well as archaeological findings and areas.
Photograph by Miguel Angel Invarato, exhibited
at the Instituto Cervantes in Moscow in 2007.
Invarato’s exhibition ‘De la Oscuridad al la
Luz’ (From Darkness to Light) presented a
series of photographic works documenting the
Fontanelle Cemetery in Naples.
Under Spanish legislation, there are three
categories of cultural property belonging
to Historic Heritage that are under special
protection, and thus their removal from
Spanish territory is controlled by the Ministry
of Culture and Customs:
1. Goods of Cultural Interest
2. Objects included in the General Inventory
of Movable Goods
3. Objects over 100 years old