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

France
In 1995, France signed the UNIDROIT Convention
of 1995 but it has not yet ratified it.
Who is responsible for implementing these
regulations?
The Ministry of Culture and Communication,
through its directorates, is responsible
for the implementation of the law. DMF
– Directorate of Museums in France (Direction
des Musées de France) is responsible
for overall management, through the
Collections Department (Département des
Collections). Under this department, the
Office for the Movement of Works and
Inventory (Bureau du mouvement des
oeuvres et de l’inventaire) undertakes the
work in this area.
Three other Directorates are involved in
the export authorisation decisions for specific
categories of cultural goods: the DAF
– Directorate of Archives (Direction des Archives
de France), the DLL – Directorate of
Books and Reading (Direction du Livre et
de la Lecture) and the DAPA – Directorate
of Architecture and Heritage (Direction de
l’Architecture et du Patrimoine). Their work,
as far as export of cultural goods is concerned,
is coordinated by the DMF.
The Offi ce for the Movement of Works
and Inventory (the Bureau) operates in
two fi elds:
• The movement of collections belonging
to the national museums
• Export control of national heritage
Michel Houellebecq at a book-signing in one of
the main Moscow bookshops in spring 2006.
Several works by the award-winning French
writer have been translated into Russian.
Houellebecq’s novels are extremely popular in
Russia with editions of 100,000 copies.
In terms of export controls, the Bureau receives
all requests for certificates for cultural
goods which are dependent on the competence
of French museums, according to
the national legislation (Law No 92-1477).
The Bureau also acts as the Secretariat for
the Consultative Commission on National
Treasures, a body that gives opinions on
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