Preventive measures in the council of europe convention on offences relating to cultural property: An overview

Abstract

The Council of Europe Convention on Offences relating to Cultural Property (2017) includes relevant provisions on preventive actions to be implemented by States Parties in order to achieve stronger cooperation under the purpose and within the scope of the treaty. This article focuses on the increasing importance of preventive measures for the protection of cultural property against transnational criminality, both at the domestic and international levels. It scrutinizes the most relevant treaty norms related to preventive and other administrative measures (Chapter IV) to be taken by States Parties by coordinating various activities and precautionary mechanisms for the protection of cultural property, in accordance with the ultima ratio principle governing the application of criminal law and criminal sanctions. By adopting and applying risk-prepar-edness tools, States can focus their efforts in the field of cultural property protection in a most effective and efficient way.