TREATIES AND OTHER INTERNATIONAL ACTS SERIES 07-108 

________________________________________________________________________ 

CULTURAL PROPERTY 

 Agreement between the 

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 

and CROATIA 

Signed at Washington February 9, 2005 
 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.” 
CROATIA 

Cultural Property 

Agreement signed at Washington February 9, 2005; 

 Entered into force January 8, 2007. 

 
AGREEMENT

BETWEEN

THE GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF

AMERICA

AND

THE GOVERNMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF CROATIA

ON

THE PROTECTION AND PRESERVATION

OF CERTAIN CULTURAL PROPERTIES

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

Republic of Croatia (hereafter referred to as the Parties),

Desirous of successful mutual cooperation in the field of cultural heritage,

Convinced that such an agreement will contribute to the strengthening of numerous

contacts between the two states,

Bearing in mind the respect due to fundamental human rights, and seeking to

promote understanding, tolerance and friendship among all nations, racial and religious

groups,

Convinced that each culture has its dignity and value which must be respected and

preserved, and that all cultures form part of the common heritage belonging to all mankind,

Desiring to enhance the protection of cultural heritage and provide access to

treasures of national and world culture without discrimination,

Convinced that the deterioration or disappearance of items of cultural heritage

constitutes an impoverishment of the heritage of all the nations of the world,

Considering that the protection of cultural heritage can be effective only if organized

both nationally and internationally among states working in close cooperation,

Considering the principles of the Helsinki Final Act of the Conference on Security

and Cooperation in Europe, and

Desirous of elaborating concrete steps in the furtherance of the principles and

purposes of the 1972 Convention for the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural

Heritage with respect to certain items of cultural heritage of the victims of genocide,
Have agreed as follows:

ARTICLE 1

Each Party shall co-operate in the protection and preservation of cultural heritage of all

national, religious, or ethnic groups (hereafter referred to as "groups") that reside or resided

in its territory, including of the victims of genocide during the Second World War.

The term "cultural heritage" for the purposes of this Agreement shall mean places of

worship, sites of historical significance, monuments, cemeteries, and memorials to the dead,

as well as archival and other authentic and documentary materials relating thereto.

ARTICLE 2

The Parties shall cooperate in identifying items falling within the scope of Article 1,

particularly those which are in danger of deterioration or destruction.

ARTICLE 3

The Parties shall ensure that there is no discrimination, in form or in fact, against the cultural

heritage of any group referred to in Article 1 or against the nationals of the other Party in the

scope and application of its laws and regulations concerning:

(a) the protection and preservation of their cultural heritage;

(b) the right to participate in the protection and preservation of their

cultural heritage; and

(c) public access thereto.

ARTICLE 4

In cases in which a group concerned is unable to protect and preserve its cultural heritage,

the Party in which the property is located shall endeavor to protect and preserve the property

and may invite the cooperation of the other Party.

ARTICLE 5

Properties of cultural heritage that are of special significance shall be designated in a list of

items of cultural heritage.

All properties of cultural heritage so designated shall be protected, preserved, and marked in

the manner stipulated by valid legal internal regulations of either Party. Public access thereto

shall be ensured.
ARTICLE 6

A Joint Cultural Heritage Commission shall hereby be established for the purpose of cocoordinating co-operative activities in accordance with this Agreement.

Each Party shall appoint one or more member(s) to the Commission, who may be assisted by

alternates and advisers. Decisions of the Commission shall require the assent of all members.

The Parties shall cooperate in supplying the Commission with access to the items of cultural

heritage and information necessary for the execution of its responsibilities.

The United States Commission for the Preservation of America's Heritage Abroad shall be

the Executive Agent for implementing this Agreement of behalf of the United States, while

the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Croatia shall be the Executive Agent on behalf of

Croatia. Either Party may, by diplomatic note to the other, change its Executive Agent.

ARTICLE 7

Nothing in this Agreement shall be construed to relieve either Party of its obligations under

the 1972 Convention for the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage or any

other agreement for the protection of cultural heritage.

ARTICLE 8

This Agreement shall be implemented in accordance with the laws and regulations of both

countries and the availability of funds.

ARTICLE 9

Disputes concerning the interpretation or application of this Agreement shall be resolved by

the Joint Cultural Heritage Commission referred to in Article 6 of this Agreement.

ARTICLE 10

This Agreement shall enter into force upon an exchange of diplomatic notes by which the

Parties inform each other about the fulfillment of their respective legal requirements for its

entry into force. It may be amended by mutual written agreement of the Parties.

This Agreement shall remain in force until either Party decides to terminate it by giving six

months' prior written notice through diplomatic channels to the other Party of its intention to

terminate this Agreement.
DONE at /k ....C" , , in duplicate, this s?day of Artsg-ti 2005, in

the English and roatian languages, each text being equally authentic.

FOR THE GOVERNMENT OF FOR THE GOVERNMENT OF

THE UNITED STA S OF AMERICA: THE REPUBLIC OF CROATIA:
SPORAZUM

IZMEDU

VLADE SJEDINJENIH AMERItKIH DRiAVA

I

VLADE REPUBLIKE HRVATSKE

0

ZAATITI I OeUVANJU ODREDENIH KULTURNIH

DOBARA

Vlada Sjedinjenih Ameri6kih Drava i Vlada Republike Hrvatske (u daljnjem

tekstu stranke)

u zelji za uspjegnom uzajamnom suradnjom u podru6ju kulturne bakine,

uvjerene da Oe ovakav sporazum pridonijeti jaeanju brojnih kontakata izmedu dviju

drava,

imajuei na umu du2no uva2avanje temeljnih ljudskih prava i nastojeái unaprijediti

razumijevanje, toleranciju i prijateljstvo izmedu svih naroda, rasnih i vjerskih skupina,

uvjerene da svaka kultura ima dostojanstvo i vrijednost koje treba pokovati i

oeuvati i da sve kulture tvore dio zajedniale bakine koja pripada cijelom 6ovjea'anstvu,

u zelji da unaprijede, bez diskriminacije, zakitu kulturne bakine i osiguraju pristup

vrijednostima nacionalnih kultura to svjetske kulture,

uvjerene da propadanje ili nestanak dijelova kulturne bakine predstavlja

osiromagenje naslijeda svih naroda svij eta,

uzimajuêi u obzir da zakita kulturne ba§tine mote biti uainkovita jedino ako se

organizira i na dr2avnoj i na medunarodnoj razini u tijesnoj suradnji izmedu driava,

uzimajua u obzir ngela Zavrgnog akta Konferencije o sigurnosti i suradnji u

Europi iz Helsinkija, i

u zelji da utvrde konkretne korake koji bi unaprijedili ngela i ciljeve Konvencije za

za§titu svjetske kulturne i prirodne bakine iz 1972. godine u odnosu na odredena dobra

kulturne bagtine srtava genocida,
Sporazumjele su se kako slijedi:

t' LANAK 1.

Stranke ee suradivati na zakiti i oeuvanju kulturne baStine svih nacionalnih,

vjerskih ili etniekih skupina (u daljnjem tekstu: "skupine") koje borave ili su boravile na

njezinom drlavnom podrueju, ukljueujuai i frtve genocida za vrijeme Drugog svjetskog

rata.

U smislu ovoga Sporazuma pojam "kulturna bakina" oznaeava vjerske objekte,

mjesta od povijesnog znaeenja, spomenike, groblja i spomenike mrtvima kao i arhivsko i

drugo, autentieno i dokumentacijsko gradivo koje se na njih odnosi.

dANAK 2.

Stranke ee suradivati u identificiranju predmeta koji su obuhvgeni elankom 1., a

naroeito onih koji su u opasnosti od propadanja ili unikenja.

t'LANAK 3.

Stranke ee osigurati da se ne diskriminira, ni formalno ni stvarno, kulturna baStina

bilo koje od skupina iz elanka 1. kao ni dravljani druge stranke glede djelokruga i

primjene njezinih zakona ili propisa koji se odnose na:

(a) zaStitu i oeuvanje njihove kulturne bakine;

(b) pravo sudjelovanja u zakiti i oeuvanju njihove kulturne baStine; i

(c) javni pristup toj bakini.

LANAK 4.

U slueaju u kojem zainteresirana skupina nije u stanju zakiti i oeuvati svoju

kulturnu bakinu, stranka u kojoj je dobro smjeSteno de nastojati zakiti i oeuvati dobro, a

mote pozvati na suradnju i drugu stranku.

t' LANAK 5.

Predmeti kulturne bakine od posebne va2nosti bit Oe imenovani na popisu dobara kulturne

baStine.

Sva dobra za koja se utvrdi da pripadaju kulturnoj bakini bit ee zakieena, oeuvana i

oznaeena na naein propisan nacionalnim zakonima na snazi u dvjema strankama. Dobrima

ee se osigurati javni pristup.
tLANAK 6.

Ovim se Sporazumom uspostavlja ZajedniCIo povjerenstvo za kulturnu bagtinu 6ija

je zadaáa koordiniranje aktivnosti na suradnji sukladno ovom Sporazumu.

Svaka 6e stranka u Povjerenstvo imenovati po jednog ili vise 61anova koji mogu

imati zamjenike i savjetnike. Povjerenstvo donosi odluke uz suglasnost svih elanova.

Stranke Oe suradivati u pru2anju Povjerenstvu pristupa dobrima kulturne bagtine i

podacima potrebnim za obavljanje njegovih duinosti.

Povjerenstvo Sjedinjenih Drava za o'Ouvanje ameriele bagtine u

inozemstvu je provedbeno tijelo ovoga Sporazuma s ameriale strane, dok je Ministarstvo

kulture Republike Hrvatske provedbeno tijelo ovoga Sporazuma s hrvatske strane. Bilo

koja od stranaka mote diplomatskim putem promijeniti svoje provedbeno tijelo.

eLANAK 7.

Nita iz ovoga Sporazuma nede se protumaelti tako da oslobada bilo koju od ovih

stranaka od obveza iz Konvencije za zagtitu svjetske kulturne i prirodne bagtine iz 1972. ili

bilo kojeg drugog medunarodnog ugovora o zagtiti kulturne bagtine.

tLANAK 8.

Ovaj de se Sporazum provesti u skladu sa zakonima i propisima dviju zemalja i

prema raspolo2ivim financijskim sredstvima.

eLANAK 9.

Sve sporove vezane uz tumgenje ili primjenu ovoga Sporazuma rjegavat ae

Zajedni6ko povjerenstvo za kulturnu bagtinu iz elanka 6. ovoga Sporazuma.

eLANAK 10.

Ovaj Sporazum stupa na snagu razmjenom diplomatskih nota kojima se stranke

medusobno izvjekuju o ispunjenju pravnih uvjeta za njegovo stupanje na snagu. Sporazum

se mote mijenjati i dopunjavati uzajamnim pisanim dogovorom stranaka.

Ovaj Sporazum ostaje na snazi dok bilo koja od stranaka ne izvijesti drugu stranku

o svojoj namjeri da ga otkak, pisanom obavijegau diplomatskim putem, gest mjeseci

unaprijed.
SASTAVLJENO u -Cana 914.%' /401 2005. godine u dva

izvornika na engleskom i hrvatskom jeziku, pri 6emu su oba teksta jednako vjerodostojna.

ZA VLADU ZA VLADU

SJEDINJENIH AME H DRiAVA REPUBLIKE HRVATSKE