These were the US Cultural Property Advisory Committee and its deliberations over China’s request for import restrictions, and the application of Droit de Suite in the EU.
The Assembly considered the Chinese requests for restrictions disproportionate and over-reaching. Indeed, while CINOA fully supported the fight against the looting of archaeological items and the illicit trade in them, they felt this specific request (discussed in previous issues of ATG) greatly exceeded the legitimate scope of United States law.
They felt if a virtual trade embargo on Chinese works of art is imposed it will deprive the US of opportunities to discover the richness of Chinese culture and risk restricting the education of future generations of Americans without resolving the problems of looting and smuggling.
CINOA will file a formal paper with the CPAC elaborating on their objections.
Regarding Droit de Suite, CINOA felt the royalty would be to the detriment of the European art market and gravely handicap a successful market place which stimulates the contemporary artistic community.
They felt the European Commission failed to recognise the international nature of the art market and that a successful art market with successful businesses helps young artists more than one deprived of free and fair competition.
Bo Knutsson from Sweden, for 16 years chairman of the Swedish Antique Dealers Association, was elected as the new CINOA president. His vice president for the next three years is Jan De Maere, head of the Dutch dealers’ association.
The outgoing president, Henry Neville of Mallett, announced a new development in CINOA’s 70th year, a permanant office in Brussels with its first secretary general, Erika Bocherau.
CINOA discuss politics
AT this year’s CINOA General Assembly, held in New York from May 12 to 14, delegates representing dealers associations from more than 20 countries discussed two political areas which they felt threatened the international art market.
