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TREATIES AND OTHER INTERNATIONAL ACTS SERIES 20-211 

CULTURAL EXCHANGES, PROPERTY, AND COOPERATION 

Import Restrictions 

Memorandum of Understanding Between the 

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 

and ECUADOR 

Signed at Quito May 22, 2019 

Entered into force February 11, 2020 
 

 

 

NOTE BY THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE 

Pursuant to Public Law 89—497, approved July 8, 1966 

(80 Stat. 271; 1 U.S.C. 113)— 

“. . .the Treaties and Other International Acts Series issued 

under the authority of the Secretary of State shall be competent 

evidence . . . of the treaties, international agreements other than 

treaties, and proclamations by the President of such treaties and 

international agreements other than treaties, as the case may be, 

therein contained, in all the courts of law and equity and of maritime 

jurisdiction, and in all the tribunals and public offices of the 

United States, and of the several States, without any further proof 

or authentication thereof.” 
MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING 

BETWEEN 

THE GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 

- AND 

THE GOVERNMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF ECUADOR 

CONCERNING THE IMPOSITION OF IMPORT RESTRICTIONS 

ON CATEGORIES OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND ETHNOLOGICAL 

MATERIAL OF ECUADOR 

The Government of the United States of America and the Government of the Republic of 

Ecuador (the "Parties"); 

Acting pursuant to the 1970 UNESCO Convention on the "Means of Prohibiting and 

Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property," to 

which the Government of the United States of America and the Government of the 

Republic of Ecuador are States parties; and 

Desiring to reduce the incentive for pillage of irreplaceable archaeological and ethnological 

material representative of Ecuador's- cultural heritage; 

Have agreed as follows: 

ARTICLE I 

1.1. The Government of the United States of America shall, in accordance with its 

legislation, including the Convention on Cultural Property Implementation Act, restrict the 

importation of certain archaeological material into the United States of America, which 

includes objects in ceramic, stone, metal, and organic tissue, ranging in date from about 

12,000 B.C. to 250 years ago·and certain ethnological material, which may include 

categories of Colonial period ecclesiastical material and Colonial period secular paintings, 

documents, and manuscripts, dating between A.O. 1532 and A.O. 1822 identified in the 

list to be published by the Government of the United States of America (hereinafter referred 

to as the Designated List), unless the Government of the Republic of Ecuador issues a 

license that certifies that such exportation was not in violation of its laws. 

1.2. The Government of the United States of America shall offer for return to the. 

Government of the Republic of Ecuador any object or material on the Designated List 

forfeited to the Government of the United States of America. 

1.3. Such import restrictions shall become effective on the date the Designated List is 

published in the U.S. Federal Register, the official United States Government publication 

providing fair public notice. 
ARTICLE II 

2.1. The Parties shall publicize this Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) and the 

reasons for it. 

2.2. The Government of the Republic of Ecuador shall use its best efforts to maintain 

and share with the Government of the United States of America information about 

unauthorized excavations, appropriation, thefts, pillage, and illegal import, export, transfer, 

transport, trafficking and/or trade in cultural property; and other threats that jeopardize its 

cultural heritage. 

2.3. The Government of the Republic of Ecuador shall use its best efforts to take action 

consistent with the 1970 UNESCO Convention on the "Means of Prohibiting and 

Preventing the Illicit Export, Import, and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property to 

protect its cultural patrimony. To assist in these efforts, the Government of the United 

States of America shall use its best efforts to facilitate technical assistance to Government 

of the Republic of Ecuador as appropriate under available programs in the public and/or 

· private sectors. 

2.4. The Government of the Republic of Ecuador shall use its best efforts to engage 

other countries having. a significant import volume in archaeological and ethnological 

objects and materials from Ecuador to deter a serious situation of, appropriation, robbery, 

theft, pillage, and illegal import, export, transfer, transport, trafficking and/or 

commercialization of cultural property. 

2.5. The Parties shall use their best efforts to encourage interchange of archaeological 

and ethnological materials for cultural, educational, and/or scientific purposes, including 

long-term loans of such materials to promote widespread public appreciation of and access 

to Ecuador's rich cultural heritage. 

2.6. The Parties shall endeavor to keep the other informed of the measures taken to 

implement this MOU. 

ARTICLE III 

The obligations of the Parties and the activities carried out under this MOU are subject to 

their respective laws and regulations, including those with respect to the availability of 

appropriated funds. 

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. ARTICLEIV 

4.1. This MOU shall enter into force on the date of the later note. in an exchange ofnotes 

between the Parties indicating that each Party has completed its internal procedures for 

entry into force of this MOU. It shall remain in force for a period of five (5) years, unless 

extended. 

4.2. This MOU may be extended and amended only by mutual written consent of the 

Parties. 

4.3. The Parties shall review the effectiveness of this MOU before the expiration of the 

five (5)-year period in order to determine whether the MOU should be extended. 

4.4. Either of the Parties may notify the other in writing through diplomatic channels of 

its intent to terminate this MOU prior to the date of expiration. In such a case, the 

termination shall take effect six months after the date of notification. 

4.S. Any dispute arising under or related to this Memorandum of Understanding shall 

be resolved only through direct consultation or negotiation between the Parties. 

Done at Quito, this 22nd of May, 2019, in duplicate, in the Spanish and English languages, 

both texts being equally authentic. 

FOR THE GOVERNMENT OF THE FOR THE GOVERNMENT OF THE 

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA REPUBLIC OF ECUADOR 

David Hale Jose Valencia 

Under Secretary for Political Affairs Minister of Foreign Affairs and Human 

United States Department of State Mobility . 

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MEMORANDO DE ENTENDIMIENTO 

ENTRE 

EL GOBIERNO DE LOS ESTADOS UNIDOS DE AMERICA 

y 

EL GOBIERNO DE LA REPUBLICA DEL ECUADOR 

RELATIVO A LA IMPOSICI6N DE RESTRICCIONES A LA IMPORTACI6N 

DE CATEGORIAS DE MATERIALES ARQUEOL6GIC0S Y 

ETNOL6GIC0S DEL ECUADOR 

El Gobiemo de los Estados Unidos de America y el Gobiemo de la Republica del 

Ecuador, (las Partes ); 

De conformidad con la Convenci6n de la UNESCO de 1970 sobre las "medidas que 

deben adoptarse para prohibir e impedir la importaci6n, la exportaci6n y la transferencia 

de propiedad ilicitas de bienes culturales", de la cual el Gobiemo de los Estados Unidos 

de America y el Gobiemo de la Republica del Ecuador son Estados Parte; y, 

Con el deseo de reducir los incentivos para el saqueo de materiales arqueol6gicos y 

etnol6gicos irremplazables, representativos del patrimonio cultural del Ecuador; 

Acuerdan lo siguiente: 

ARTICULOI 

1.1. El Gobiemo de los Estados Unidos de America, de conformidad con su 

legislaci6n, incluida la Ley de los Estados Unidos de America relativa a la Aplicaci6n 

de la Convenci6n sobre Bienes Culturales, restringira la importaci6n de ciertos 

materiales arqueol6gicos a los Estados Unidos de America, entre ellos objetos de 

ceramica, piedra, metal y tejido organico, cuyas fechas abarquen desde 

aproximadamente 12.000 AC. hasta hace 250 afios, y ciertos materiales etnol6gicos 

que puedan incluir categorfas de material eclesiastico de la epoca colonial y pinturas, 

documentos y manuscritos laicos de la epoca colonial de entre 1532 D.C. y 1822 D.C. 

que figuren en la lista a ser promulgada por el Gobiemo de los Estados Unidos de 

America ( en lo sucesivo denominada como "Lista de Designaci6n"), a menos que el 

Gobiemo de la Republica del Ecuador emita un certificado que de fe de que dicha 

exportaci6n no contraviene sus leyes. 

1.2. El Gobiemo de los Estados Unidos de America ofrecera el retomo al Gobiemo 

de la Republica del Ecuador de cualquier material u objeto de la "Lista de Designaci6n" 

decomisado por el Gobiemo de los Estados Unidos de America. 

1.3. Dichas restricciones a las importaciones tendran vigor en la fecha en que la 

"Lista de Designaci6n" haya sido publicada en el U.S. Federal Register, que es la 
publicaci6n oficial del Gobiemo de los Estados Unidos de America que ofrece aviso 

publico imparcial. 

ARTiCULOII 

2.1. Las Partes divulgaran el presente Memorando de Entendimiento (Memorando) 

y las razones que lo motivan. 

2.2. El Gobiemo de la Republica del Ecuador hara todo lo posible por conservar y 

proporcionar al Gobiemo de los Estados Unidos de America, informaci6n sobre 

excavaciones no autorizadas, apropiaci6n, robo, hurto, saqueo, importaci6n, 

exportaci6n, transferencia, transporte, trafico y/o comercializaci6n ilicita de bienes 

culturales; ademas, de otras amenazas que ponen en peligro su patrimonio cultural. 

2.3. El Gobiemo de la Republica del Ecuador hara todo lo posible para tomar 

acciones coherentes con la Convenci6n de la UNESCO de 1970 sobre las "medidas que 

deben adoptarse para prohibir e impedir la importaci6n, la exportaci6n y la transferencia 

de propiedad ilicitas de bienes culturales", para proteger su patrimonio cultural. Para 

apoyar estas labores, el Gobiemo de los Estados Unidos de America hara cuanto pueda 

para facilitar la prestaci6n de asistencia tecnica al Gobiemo de la Republica del Ecuador, 

segun corresponda, por medio de programas disponibles en los sectores publico o 

privado, o ambos. 

2.4. El Gobiemo de la Republica del Ecuador hara todo lo posible por colaborar con 

otros paises que efectuan un considerable volumen de importaci6n de objetos y 

materiales arqueol6gicos y etnol6gicos del Ecuador, para impedir una grave situaci6n 

de apropiaci6n, robo, hurto, saqueo, importaci6n, exportaci6n, transferencia, transporte, 

trafico y/o comercializaci6n ilicita de bienes culturales. 

2.5. Las Partes haran todo lo posible para alentar el intercambio de materiales 

arqueol6gicos y etnol6gicos con fines culturales, educativos y/o cientificos, inclusive 

prestamos a largo plazo de dichos materiales para promover una extensa apreciaci6n 

del publico y su acceso al rico patrimonio cultural del Ecuador. 

2.6. Las Partes se esforzaran por mantener al otro informado de las medidas que se 

tomen para poner en vigor el presente Memorando. 

ARTiCULO III 

Las obligaciones de las Partes y las actividades que se lleven a cabo de conformidad 

con el presente Memorando quedan sujetas a sus respectivas leyes y reglamentos, 

incluso en lo que se refiere a la disponibilidad de fondos asignados. 

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ARTiCULOIV 

4.1. Este Memorando entrara en vigor en la fecha de la ultima nota de un canje de 

notas entre las Partes en las que indiquen que cada una ha completado sus 

procedimientos intemos para la entrada en vigor de este Memorando. Permanecera 

vigente por un periodo de cinco (5) aftos, a menos que se prorrogue. 

4.2. El presente Memorando se podra prorrogar y enmendar solo por acuerdo mutuo 

por escrito de las Partes. 

4.3. Las Partes evaluaran la eficacia del presente Memorando con anterioridad al 

vencimiento del plazo de cinco (5) aftos, con el fin de determinar si el Memorando 

deberia prorrogarse. 

4.4. Cualquiera de las Partes podra notificar a la otra, por escrito y a traves de la via 

diplomatica, de su intenci6n de terminar el presente Memorando con anterioridad a la 

fecha de vencimiento. En dicho caso, la terminaci6n sera efectiva seis (6) meses 

despues de la fecha de notificaci6n. 

4.5. Cualquier controversia que surja en virtud de este Memorando de 

Entendimiento o en relaci6n con este se resolvera mediante consulta o negociaci6n 

directa entre las Partes. 

Hecho en la ciudad de Quito, el 22 de mayo de 2019, en duplicado, en los idiomas ingles 

y espaftol, siendo ambos textos iguales y autenticos. 

POR EL GOBIERNO DE LOS POR EL GOBIERNO DE LA 

ESTADOS UNIDOS DE AMERICA REPUBLICA DEL ECUADOR 

David Hale Jose Valencia 

Viceministro de Asuntos Politicos del Ministro de Relaciones Exteriores y 

Departamento de Estado de los Movilidad Humana 

Estados U nidos 

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