Antiquities Under Lockdown: E.U. Tightens Import Rules on Ancient Art
Europe cracks down on antiquities with Regulation 2019/880, requiring ironclad provenance for imports over 200 years old — a move shaking collectors, dealers, and museums alike.
Antiquities face more red tape, and this time it's serious. Starting June 28, a new E.U. regulation throws centuries-old artifacts into a bureaucratic chokehold.
Under Regulation 2019/880, any artwork or antiquity over 200 years old and worth more than €18,000 must come with rock-solid proof it was legally exported from its country of origin — no matter how long ago that was. The catch? That paperwork may not even exist.
Dealers and collectors are sounding the alarm: the burden of proof now lands squarely on the importer. That means even items with clean histories could get stuck in customs purgatory or be outright denied.
This isn’t just a paperwork headache. It's a massive roadblock for museums, galleries, and private collectors, who fear this could freeze the legal trade in its tracks — especially for pieces from regions where archives are murky or missing.
And with ongoing tariff confusion already rattling the U.S. art market, this feels like another blow in a global tightening of the cultural trade.
The message is clear: if you’re dealing in the ancient, prepare for a modern mess.
(And for those chasing beauty this summer, don’t worry — art still lives. Stay tuned for the season’s hottest destinations where creativity is on fire.)
ART Walkway News
