U.S. Customs and Border Protection July 13, 2012 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This document amends U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) regulations to reflect the extension of import restrictions on Pre- Classical and Classical archaeological objects and Byzantine ecclesiastical and ritual ethnological materials from Cyprus. These restrictions, which were last extended by CBP Dec. 07-52, are due to expire on July 16, 2012, unless extended. The Assistant Secretary for Educational and Cultural Affairs, United States Department of State, has determined to extend the bilateral Agreement between the Republic of Cyprus and the United States to continue the imposition of import restrictions on cultural property from Cyprus. The Designated List of cultural property described in CBP Dec. 07-52 is revised in this document to reflect that the types of ecclesiastical and ritual ethnological articles dating from the Byzantine period previously listed on the CBP Dec. 07-52 Designated List as protected are now protected also if dating from the Post-Byzantine period (c. 1500 A.D. to 1850 A.D.) The revised Designated List also clarifies that certain mosaics of stone and wall hangings (specifically, to include images of Saints among images of Christ, Archangels, and the Apostles) are covered under the import restrictions published today. The import restrictions imposed on the archaeological and ethnological materials covered under the Agreement will remain in effect for a 5-year period, and the CBP regulations are being amended accordingly. These restrictions are being extended pursuant to determinations of the State Department under the terms of the Convention on Cultural Property Implementation Act in accordance with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property.