In accordance with the letter of the State Customs Service dated March 23, 2022 No 08-1/16/7/1582, taking measures preventing illegal export of cultural property outside the customs territory of Ukraine is called to attention by the personnel of the customs.

In this regard, we would like to inform you that according to the current legislation, cultural values that are moved across the customs border of Ukraine are divided into three groups:

1. Forbidden.

2. Restricted.

3. Free movement.

Cultural values that are forbidden to move are items included in the Museum Fund of Ukraine, the National Archival Fund, as well as items wanted.

Museum objects and archival documents, as a rule, have marks of appropriate storage: inventory numbers, prints of seals (stamps), etc.

The items wanted can be found in the relevant databases: “Search records of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine” (https://wanted.mvs.gov.ua/searchart/. Access is (not always due to military law) available without registration.

Interpol database (https://www.interpol.int/Crimes/Cultural-heritage-crime/Stolen-Works-of-Art-Database. Access is required prior registration).

The movement of restricted cultural values across the customs border of Ukraine is allowed with the permit of the Ministry of Culture and Information Policy of Ukraine. Any one of the following documents can be determined as a permit:

1. Certificate.

2. Expert opinion.

3. Passport for a bow string instrument or a bow.

The certificate of export of cultural values is issued by the Ministry of Culture and Information Policy of Ukraine. E-certificate is duplicated on the web portal “Single Window for International Trade”.

Expert conclusion is issued by recognized experts of cultural institutions determined by the Order of the Ministry of Culture of March 31, 2017 No 267 (https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/z0529-17#Text).

Passport for a bow string instrument or a bow is provided for violin, viola, cello, double bass and viola. Such a document is granded by experts on a musical instruments indicated in the Order of the Ministry of Culture of March 31, 2017 No 267.

Approval documents for the identification of cultural objects are accomplished by photographs of objects.

Free to move cultural objects are moved without permits. The list of such objects is defined in Annex No 1 of the Order of the Ministry of Culture of April 22, 2002 No 258 (https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/z0571-02#top).

The main group of such objects includes the household items of mass and serial production after the 1950 (furniture, carpets, utensils, toys, jewelry, etc.).

The following items are also freely exported from the territory of Ukraine:

Printed works published after 1945 (books, magazines, periodicals, music, cartographic, art publications, brochures, advertising publications, etc.);

Musical instruments made after 1950 (if there is a document: factory passport, sales receipt, check, label on the instrument, etc.);

Domestic and foreign coins, paper banknotes made after 1960.

To obtain advice on determining the affiliation of a subject to those restricted for export across the customs border of Ukraine or those that allows for free movement, you should contact the expert institution specified by the Order of the Ministry of Culture of March 31, 2017 No 267. Almost all of these institutions have their contact us pages on websites. To get information assistance on the rules of movement of cultural objects across the customs border of Ukraine, call to the Department for Specialized Training and Canine Services of the State Customs Service of Ukraine (8-0382 78-49-99, or IP communication 499-01-16).