Countering

Introduction
Countering Illicit Traffic in Cultural Goods: The Global Challenge of Protecting the World’s
Heritage concludes the initial phase of the International Observatory project. Among the
other tangible results of the Observatory is a dedicated website that includes a searchable
databank of over 6,000 diverse resources on the subject (including legislation, guidelines,
articles, videos, etc.), an official glossary of relevant terms, good practices relating to cultural
property protection, and specific pages for each country, detailing national initiatives in
fighting illicit traffic in cultural goods. URL: < www.obs-traffic.museum >.
Acknowledgements
We thank the European Commission for financial support from the Prevention and Fight
against Crime Programme-European Commission Directorate-General Home Affairs in
this endeavour to better understand illicit traffic and increase cooperation between the
actors involved, as well as compile and federate existing resources on the subject. After
being actively involved in the fight against illicit traffic in cultural goods for decades,
this financial support enabled ICOM to create an effective body that could complete its
existing practical tools, such as the Red Lists, and further contribute to raising awareness
and bringing forward solutions in favour of the protection of the world’s heritage.
A special thanks to Neil Brodie for his availability and generosity in sharing his extensive
knowledge on the subject. His insight has been precious in preparing this publication.
Finally, we warmly thank all the participants in the project’s expert meetings for their
constant support of the idea of the Observatory and for their strong involvement in its
work.
Françoise Bortolotti; Christophe Bourdès; Zeynep Boz; Neil Brodie; Citlalin Castaneda de la Mora;
Claire Chastanier; Celso Eduardo F. Coracini; Brian I. Daniels; Sophie Delepierre; Jessica Dietzler; Marco
Eichenberger; Mauricio Escanero; Gianluca Ferrari; Stéphane Gauffeny; Jean-Robert Gisler; Marc-
André Haldimann; Markus Hilgert; Hrvoje Korzinek; Pınar Kusseven; Theodore Leggett; Michel L’Hour;
Simon Mackenzie; Bonnie Magness-Gardiner; Carmelo Manola; Vincent Négri; Fabrizio Panone; Vimal
Pazhekadavil; Robert Peters; Laurent Pinot; Edouard Planche; Fabrizio Rossi; Marina Schneider; Assaad Seif;
Samuel Sidibé; Carine Simoes; Yusuf Abdallah Usman; Veronic Wright; Donna Yates; Candemir Zoroğlu.
The Members of the ICOM Observatory Consulting and Editorial Committees:
Croatia, Ministry of Culture, Directorate for the Protection of Cultural Heritage
France, Institute for Political Social Sciences (ISP) – UMR 7220: French National Centre for Scientific
Research (CNRS) - University Paris Ouest Nanterre La Défense - École normale supérieure de Cachan
France, Ministry of Culture and Communication, Department of Underwater and Submarine Archaeological
Research (DRASSM)
France, Ministry of Culture and Communication, Directorate General for Heritage, French Museums
Service, Sub-Directorate of collections
France, Ministry of Interior, Central Directorate of Judicial Police, Central Office for the Fight against Illicit
Traffic in Cultural Goods (OCBC)
Germany, Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and Media, Division K 42, National and
International Protection of Movable Cultural Property
xi