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

United Kingdom
Chapter 3: European Union Member States
Finally, in order to reduce the burden on would-be exporters, a number of Open Individual
Export Licences (OIELs) are issued, which permit the export of certain specified objects
without the need to obtain an individual UK licence from the MLA. These licences apply
to National Museums and Galleries and reputable dealers and can allow either permanent
or temporary export.
The MLA issues both permanent and temporary export licences. In the case of sale or
return items, the exporter is encouraged to apply for a permanent licence.
The Guidance to Exporters of Cultural Goods leaflet has a useful flowchart which helps
would-be exporters to decide which type of licence they require.
What are my first steps? How do I plan this process and how long might it take?
After you have read the MLA leaflet, consult the booklet available from the MLA – Procedures
and Guidance for Exporters of Works of Art and Other Cultural Goods.
http://www.mla.gov.uk/resources/assets//U/uk_export_licensing_for_cultural_goods_
issue_9_amended_april_2007_11516.doc
This provides more detailed guidance on how to apply for an export licence for cultural
goods. Part 1 sets out the export controls that apply to cultural goods, and when an individual
export licence is required. Part 2 details how decisions are reached on licence
applications for objects of national importance.
You should telephone the Export Licensing Unit and ask for either an EC licence application
form or a UK licence application form. If you are not sure which you need, the staff of
the Licensing Unit will advise you.
The application can be made by the owner of the object, the purchaser or the recipient. It
may also be made by a representative of the owner, purchaser or recipient.
The application process involves providing information on the provenance of the object.
If the cultural object has arrived in the UK from another EU Member State since 1993 and
you want to export it outside the EU (i.e. you are applying for an EU licence), there is a
check that the object was legally exported from the EU country it came from.
The Export Licensing Unit aims to issue export licences within five working days of receiving
an application, if all the necessary information is submitted. If the item needs to be
referred to an Expert Adviser in a museum or gallery, it will take longer.
How do I find out if the art object I want to export is of national significance? Is there a Public
Inventory of cultural goods of special interest or importance?
There is no public register or inventory of cultural goods of special national interest in the
UK. However, there is a process of assessment which uses a set of questions, the ‘Waverley
criteria’, to determine whether cultural goods are of national importance. Applications
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