From 28 June 2025, EU rules require Sellers outside of the European Union that are selling cultural heritage objects to Buyers in the European Union to provide an import license or importer statement. 

What triggers the rules?

Import Licence

You’ll need an import licence if you are selling:

• archaeological or monumental objects

• that are over 250 years old.

Importer Statement

You’ll need an importer statement if you are selling:

• other cultural heritage objects (e.g. antiquities, paintings, books, manuscripts, etc.)

• that are over 200 years old

• and are sold for €18,000 or more.

For the full list of object types, see Annex parts B and C of Regulation 2019/880.

Does this law apply to me?

You are affected if:

• You are a Seller based outside the EU, and

• Your Buyer is based inside the EU.

It's your responsibility to check whether the object you are selling falls within the categories listed in the regulation.

What about the documentation?

The European Commission has provided:

• templates for both the import licence and importer statement,

• and instructions on how to submit them digitally.

These documents must include:

• photos of the object, and

• other information as specified in the templates.
  
  

The whole process is digital. Visit the European Commission website for more details.

I’m based in the EU. Does this law apply to me?

If you are a Buyer in the EU, and you're buying from a Seller outside the EU, this law applies to you too. If an import licence is required, expect processing to take up to 90 days. This may delay delivery of your special object.

If you are a Seller in the EU, the law does not apply to you. However, you may still need to follow national cultural heritage laws. These might limit what you can sell or require additional documents. This is your responsibility to verify.