The procedure for the import and export of cultural property of the Republic of Uzbekistan

The procedure for the import and export of cultural property in Uzbekistan is regulated by the law of the Republic of Uzbekistan No. 678-I dated August 29, 1998 "On the export and import of cultural property", by the resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Uzbekistan No. 131 dated March 23, 1999 "On streamlining issues export and import of cultural property in the Republic of Uzbekistan "and the resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Uzbekistan No. 245 dated 26.04.2017 (law and regulations in Russian)

The following cultural values are subject to this Law:

• Created by citizens of the Republic of Uzbekistan
• Created on the territory of the Republic of Uzbekistan by foreign citizens and stateless persons
• Found on the territory of the Republic of Uzbekistan
• Collected in museums, information and library institutions, archives, departmental archives, film, photo, music libraries, art galleries and other depositories
• Acquired by archaeological, ethnological and natural-scientific expeditions with the consent of the authorized bodies of the states from which these values originate
• Obtained through voluntary exchanges
• Received as an inheritance, gift or legally acquired with the consent of the authorized bodies of the states from which these values originate
• Imported into the territory of the Republic of Uzbekistan by foreign legal entities and individuals (Article 4 of the Law of the Republic of Uzbekistan No. 678-I of 29.08.1998)

Cultural values not subject to export from the Republic of Uzbekistan:

• Created fifty or more years ago
• Entered by the state in the protection lists and registers
• Permanently stored in museums, information and library institutions, archives, departmental archives and other depositories (Article 8 of the Law of the Republic of Uzbekistan No. 678-I of 08.29.1998)

The categories of items related to cultural property consist of:

• Items related to historical events in the life of peoples, the development of society and the state, the history of science and technology, as well as those related to the life and work of prominent personalities (statesmen, political, public figures, thinkers, scientists, literature, art)
• Various types of weapons of historical, artistic, scientific and other cultural value
• Artistic values containing precious metals and precious stones
• Objects and their fragments obtained as a result of archaeological excavations or archaeological discoveries and finds, soil samples, archaeological, geological and other samples
• Paintings and drawings entirely handmade on any basis and from any materials
• Original sculptural works from any materials, including reliefs
• Original art compositions and montages from any materials
• Artistically decorated religious items
• Ethnographic objects
• Engravings, prints, lithographs, woodcuts, other types of graphics and their original printed forms
• Works of decorative and applied art (artistic products made of glass, ceramics, wood, metal, bone, fabric and other materials)
• Products of traditional folk arts and crafts
• Components and fragments of architectural, historical, artistic monuments and monuments of monumental art
• Old books, as well as printed works of historical, scientific, artistic, literary interest, separately or in collections
• Rare manuscripts and documentary monuments, archival documents
• Audiovisual works, phonograms and photographic materials
• Musical instruments
• Objects of philately, numismatics, faleristics, bonistics, sphragistics and other collections
• Coins, orders, medals, stamps, postcards (envelopes) and other collectibles
• Rare collections and specimens of flora and fauna, items of interest to such branches of science as mineralogy, paleontology, anatomy
• Household and scientific appliances, tools of domestic and cultural importance (watches, barometers, scales, binoculars, cameras, cameras, sewing machines, etc.)
• Other movable items, including copies of historical, scientific, artistic or other cultural significance, as well as taken by the state under protection as monuments of history and culture (clause 2 of Appendix No. 1 to the Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers No. 131 of 03.23.)

Items related to cultural values are determined by the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Uzbekistan in the manner approved by the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

Cultural property created over the past 50 years does not require a certificate for the right to export it:

• Carpets, rugs, embroidery, suzane (all machine made)
• Electric musical instruments
• Reproductions of paintings, icons, art albums, records
• Souvenir products, items made of ceramics, porcelain, crystal, glass, wood, metal of mass factory production (excluding foreign-made items)
• Fiction, children's, popular literature, consisting of 1 or 2 volumes, sheet music
• Scientific, educational literature acquired by foreign scientists and specialists located in Uzbekistan for scientific and technical exchange, foreign citizens studying in the Republic of Uzbekistan, as well as scientists, specialists, students, students of the Republic of Uzbekistan sent abroad
• Modern jewelry made of precious metals and precious stones with state tests (the number of exported jewelry is determined in accordance with customs legislation)
• Personal awards, for the wearing of which there are order books or award certificates
• Audiovisual works and phonograms
• Products of folk arts and crafts and arts and crafts according to the Appendix:

APPENDIX
to the resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers
No. 245 dated 26.04.2017

PRODUCTS of folk art and arts and crafts, created over the past 50 years, for the export of which a certificate is not required

Temporary export of cultural property can be carried out by legal entities and individuals:

• For organizing exhibitions
• For the implementation of restoration work and scientific research
• In connection with theatrical, concert and other artistic activities
• For registration of embassies and representations of the Republic of Uzbekistan
• In other cases provided by law

Temporarily exported cultural values cannot be used as security for a loan or serve as a subject of collateral (Article 9 of the Law of the Republic of Uzbekistan No. 678-I of 29.08.1998). The basis for the temporary export of cultural property is a certificate issued by the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

The procedure for the export or temporary export of cultural property

1. When exporting on the certificate form and on each sheet of the list of cultural property permitted for export, a stamp of the established form is put on the back of their photographs indicating the certificate number, the date of its issue, and the signature of the authorized person who issued the certificate.

A stamp is put on the back of works of fine art permitted for export, and musical instruments and carpets permitted for export are sealed.

The first set of the list with photographs is kept at the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Uzbekistan, the second, together with the certificate, is issued to the owner for presentation to the customs authorities.

2. When leaving for permanent residence, passports for musical instruments are not issued. The certificate is issued on the basis of a council of experts. For modern piano instruments made in the CIS countries, an expert opinion is not required.

3. To obtain a certificate on the temporary export of cultural property by state museums, libraries, other state depositories, an application is submitted, to which are attached:

• Agreement with the host party on the purposes, terms and conditions of temporary export of cultural property
• Insurance policy (certificate, certificate, receipt) of a property insurance contract for temporarily exported cultural property with provision for all cases of insurance risks
• Written guarantees of the state authorities of the host country regarding the safety and timely return of temporarily exported cultural property

4. Upon receipt of a certificate of temporary export of cultural property by other legal entities, the application shall be accompanied by:

• Agreement with the host party on the purposes, terms and conditions of temporary export of cultural property
• Insurance policy (certificate, certificate, receipt) of a property insurance contract for temporarily exported cultural property with provision for all cases of insurance risks

5. To obtain a certificate of temporary export of cultural property by individuals, an insurance policy (certificate, certificate, receipt) of a property insurance contract for temporarily exported cultural property is attached to the application, providing all cases of insurance risks.

6. Upon return, the packaging of temporarily exported cultural values is opened in the presence of authorized employees and members of the expert council of the Ministry of Culture and the State Customs Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan, and the items are subjected to artistic examination for the conformity of their composition and quantity, as well as the identity of their quality characteristics.

7. In order to obtain a certificate for the temporary export of musical instruments and bows, special passports must also be presented containing information about the instrument and bow required to establish the fact of export and subsequent import of the same instrument. At each export and import of the instrument, the owner presents this passport to the customs authorities for affixing registration marks and filling out other customs documents.

8. Lists, photographs and certificates presented by citizens to customs authorities upon departure are subject to storage in accordance with the established procedure.

9. It is prohibited to export items made of precious metals and precious stones in container, cargo and postal items. Products made of precious metals and precious stones permitted for export are exported directly by their owner.

10. The Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Uzbekistan has the right, if necessary:

• Apply to the competent state, public organizations, institutions with a request for the issuance of a special opinion on the cultural values presented for export. These requests must be processed within a week
• Require the presentation of documents confirming the legality of the acquisition of cultural property on the territory of the Republic of Uzbekistan, as well as certifying their value

* * *

For carrying out an artistic examination of cultural property, a special fee is paid in accordance with Appendix No. 7, which goes to the settlement accounts of the relevant institutions of the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Uzbekistan that carried out the examination. When determining the size of the special fee, the complexity of the analysis, the volume of work, the number of items and the qualitative characteristics of cultural property are taken into account.

APPENDIX No. 7
to the resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers
No. 131 dated 23.03.1999

Special fee for artistic expertise and paperwork

* for individual entrepreneurs engaged in handicraft activities, the amount of a special fee for carrying out artistic expertise and paperwork for decorative and applied arts, which are products of their own production, is 10% of Base Value Calculation