Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/1144 of 28 May 2026 laying down provisions on electronic licences for the export of cultural goods under Council Regulation (EC) No 116/2009 and repealing Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 1081/2012
Date: 2026-05-28
Institutions: Directorate-General for Taxation and Customs Union, European Commission
Subjects: administrative cooperation, cultural object, customs cooperation, customs formalities, electronic document management, electronic government, export (EU), export licence, heritage protection, personal data




L_202601144EN.000101.fmx.xml












Official Journal of the European Union


EN
L series













2026/1144


29.5.2026







            COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING REGULATION (EU) 2026/1144
of 28 May 2026
         
laying down provisions on electronic licences for the export of cultural goods under Council Regulation (EC) No 116/2009 and repealing Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 1081/2012


THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,


Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 116/2009 of 18 December 2008 on the export of cultural goods (1), and in particular Article 7 thereof,


After consulting the Cultural Goods Committee,

Whereas:







(1)


Detailed arrangements are necessary to implement Regulation (EC) No 116/2009, which provides, inter alia, for the establishment of an export licensing system for certain categories of cultural goods listed in Annex I to that Regulation.












(2)


Regulation (EC) No 116/2009 does not specify whether the export licences should be applied for, processed and issued on paper or electronically.












(3)


Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 1081/2012 (2) requires export licences to be drawn up and issued on a paper form. This goes against the current trend in the Union, where the majority of Member States administrations and authorities have digitalised or are in the process of digitalising their services to citizens, by issuing and using electronic certification. The development of varying electronic solutions for export licences in an increasing number of Member States, while other Member States still issue them on paper, could be detrimental to the uniform implementation of Regulation (EC) No 116/2009 across the Union.












(4)


Setting up an electronic system to apply for, process and issue export licences would be in line with the objectives of the EU eGovernment Action Plan 2016-2020 (3), which seeks to increase the efficiency of public services by removing existing digital barriers, reducing administrative burden and improving the quality of interactions between national administrations. It would be also consistent with the Tallinn Declaration (4), which sets objectives for interaction between the public administrations and general public and businesses on the basis of the ‘digital-by-default’, ‘once-only’ and ‘interoperability by default’ principles.












(5)


A paper-based system for issuing export licences only allows limited tracing of the use of an export licence after it has been issued and paper export licences are vulnerable to forgery. To address this vulnerability, and also to improve efficiency and administrative cooperation between the authorities competent to apply Regulation (EC) No 116/2009 in the Member States, the paper-based system for submitting, processing and issuing export licences should be replaced by an electronic one.












(6)


Regulation (EU) 2019/880 of the European Parliament and of the Council (5) provides for the establishment of a centralised electronic system for the import of cultural goods into the Union customs territory (‘ICG system’) for storing and exchanging information between the competent authorities and customs authorities of the Member States and for importers to fulfil certain formalities, such as applying for import licences or drawing up importer statements. Cultural goods located within the Union customs territory should be granted the same level of protection as that granted by the ICG system to the cultural heritage of third countries.












(7)


Therefore, and to ensure that electronic export licences under Regulation (EC) No 116/2009 are used in an uniform manner throughout the Union, it is necessary to lay down a centralised electronic system which the Member States competent authorities should use for receiving and processing applications for export licences and issuing such licences, and to lay down arrangements for the functioning of that electronic system and the use of electronic export licences.












(8)


Member States customs authorities should have access to that system to carry out controls of export licences at the external borders of the Union and to cooperate with the competent authorities, if necessary. To achieve this objective, the electronic system for export licences should be interconnected with the European Union Single Window Environment for Customs established by Regulation (EU) 2022/2399 of the European Parliament and of the Council (6).












(9)


In order to eliminate unnecessary administrative burden, it is required to lay down provisions for open export licences for the temporary export of cultural goods by responsible persons or museums and similar institutions for use, study, conservation or exhibition in third countries.












(10)


Member States that wish to take advantage of such facilitation should be able to do so in relation to their own cultural goods, persons and museums. Beyond certain minimum requirements for open licences set out in this Regulation, the conditions to be fulfilled could differ from Member State to Member State. The Member States should therefore be able to choose whether to issue open licences or not.












(11)


Implementing Regulation (EU) No 1081/2012 should therefore be repealed and replaced by this Regulation.












(12)


The application of these new provisions should be deferred in order to coincide with the time at which the electronic system for export licences becomes operational.












(13)


The European Data Protection Supervisor was consulted in accordance with Article 42(1) of Regulation (EU) 2018/1725 of the European Parliament and of the Council (7) and delivered an opinion on 18 December 2025,





HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:



SECTION 1


GENERAL PROVISIONS



Article 1

Definitions

For the purposes of this Regulation, the following definitions shall apply:






(1)


‘the ECG system’ means the electronic system for the export of cultural goods;










(2)


‘person’ means a natural person, a legal person, or any association of persons which is not a legal person but which is recognised under Union or national law as having the capacity to perform legal acts;










(3)


‘museum or similar institution’ means an entity established for the purpose of preserving cultural heritage and of providing access to such cultural heritage to the public;










(4)


‘EORI number’ means the Economic Operators Registration and Identification number, as defined in Article 1, point (18), of Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2015/2446 (8);










(5)


‘Traces’ means the system referred to in Article 4, point (51), of Regulation (EU) 2016/429 of the European Parliament and of the Council (9).







SECTION 2


EXPORT LICENCES



Article 2

Types and common rules for export licences


1.   Persons who seek to export cultural goods from the Union customs territory shall apply through the ECG system to the competent authority referred to in Article 2(2), first subparagraph, points (a) and (b), of Regulation (EC) No 116/2009, for an export licence of one of the following types:






(a)


Standard licence;










(b)


Specific open licence;










(c)


General open licence.






2.   A standard licence shall be used for each export subject to Regulation (EC) No 116/2009, except in the cases provided for in paragraphs 3 and 4.
However, each individual Member State concerned may decide whether or not to issue any specific or general open licences which may be used instead if the specific conditions relating to them are fulfilled as set out in Articles 5 and 6.


3.   A specific open licence shall cover the repeated temporary export of a specific cultural good by a person as set out in Article 5.


4.   A general open licence shall cover the temporary export of any of the cultural goods that form part of the permanent collection of a museum or similar institution, as set out in Article 6.


5.   A competent authority may revoke any standard, specific or general open licence it has issued at any time within their period of validity if the conditions under which it was issued are no longer met. The other competent authorities shall be alerted immediately through the ECG system to prevent the irregular use of such export licence.


6.   The export licence shall be issued by the competent authority in the ECG system and shall:






(a)


be signed with the electronic seal of the competent authority;










(b)


make use of qualified electronic time stamps to certify the date of issuance;










(c)


indicate the licence holder’s EORI number.




The use of the export licences referred to in paragraph 1 shall in no way affect obligations connected with export formalities or related documents.



Article 3

Export licences for cultural goods for which an import licence has been previously issued

Competent authorities receiving export licence applications for cultural goods that are within the scope of Regulation (EC) No 116/2009 and also within the scope of Regulation (EU) 2019/880 for which an import licence has been previously issued or an importer statement has been drawn up in accordance with the provisions of the latter Regulation shall take into consideration, as far as possible, the information contained in that licence or in that statement and avoid any undue burden or delay in issuing the export licence.


Article 4

Standard licence


1.   Each consignment of cultural goods shall be covered by a separate export licence, except as provided for in paragraph 3.


2.   For the purposes of paragraph 1, a consignment shall mean one or more cultural goods which are dispatched simultaneously from one exporter to one consignee and are covered by the same customs declaration for export.


3.   Where a consignment consists of a number of cultural goods, it is for the competent authority to determine whether one or several export licences shall be issued for the consignment in question.


4.   The application for an export licence shall be lodged with the competent authorities designated by the Member States pursuant to Article 2(2) of Regulation (EC) No 116/2009 and shall be accompanied by the information referred to in Annex I to this Regulation and any relevant information and documentation on the provenance of the cultural object and its legal status at the time when the application is made.


5.   The competent authority may require, for the purposes of issuing an export licence, that the cultural good to be exported is made available to them for physical inspection.


6.   The applicant shall bear any costs incurred with their application in accordance with paragraphs 4 and 5.


7.   The period of validity of an export licence shall not exceed 12 months from the date of issuance, except in the cases provided for in Articles 5 and 6.


8.   In the case of an application for temporary exportation, the competent authority may specify the time limit within which the cultural good is to be reimported into the issuing Member State.


9.   Where the competent authority rejects the application for an export licence, it shall communicate its decision, together with a statement of reasons and information on the appeal procedure, to the applicant via the ECG system, without delay.


10.   Standard licences shall be issued following the template set out in Annex I.



Article 5

Specific open licence


1.   A specific open licence may be issued for a cultural good which is intended to be temporarily exported from the Union customs territory on a regular basis for use, study, conservation or exhibition in a third country. The cultural good must be owned by, or be in the legitimate possession of the person that applies for the specific open licence.


2.   A specific open licence may only be issued to a person provided that the competent authority is convinced that they offer all the guarantees considered necessary for the good to be returned in good condition to the Union and that the cultural good is described or marked in such a way that, at the moment of temporary export, there is no doubt that the cultural good being exported from the Union customs territory is the one described in the specific open licence.


3.   Specific open licences shall be issued following the template set out in Annex II to this Regulation.


4.   A specific open licence shall set out the time period for which it is to remain valid. This validity period may not exceed five years.



Article 6

General open licence


1.   A general open licence may be issued to museums or similar institutions to allow the temporary export of any of the goods that belong to their permanent collection that are intended to be temporarily exported from the Union customs territory on a regular basis for exhibition in a third country.


2.   A licence may only be issued if the competent authorities are convinced that the institution offers all the guarantees considered necessary for the good to be returned in good condition to the Union. The licence may be used to cover any combination of cultural goods from their permanent collection at any one occasion of temporary export It may be used to cover a series of different combinations of cultural goods either consecutively or concurrently.


3.   General open licences shall be issued following the template set out in Annex III to this Regulation.


4.   A general open licence shall indicate the period for which it is to remain valid. This validity period may not exceed five years.



Article 7

Use of the EORI number

Persons who apply for an export licence shall use an EORI number to identify themselves, in accordance with Articles 3, 4 and 6 of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2015/2446.



SECTION 3


ELECTRONIC SYSTEM FOR THE EXPORT OF CULTURAL GOODS



Article 8

Use of the ECG system

Applications for export licences under Regulation (EC) No 116/2009 and this Regulation shall be submitted and processed by means of the ECG system. The decisions on those applications shall also be processed by means of the ECG system.
The ECG system shall also be used for the storage and exchange of information between competent authorities and customs authorities of the Member States for the purpose of administrative cooperation.


Article 9

Deployment of the ECG system

The Commission shall:






(a)


develop the ECG system as an independent module of Traces;










(b)


ensure the functioning, maintenance, support and any necessary update or development of the ECG system;










(c)


have access to all data, information and documents of the ECG system for the purpose of producing annual reports and for the development, functioning and maintenance of the system;










(d)


ensure the interconnection between the ECG system and the European Union Single Window Environment for Customs established by Regulation (EU) 2022/2399.






Article 10

Contact points for the ECG system

The Commission shall designate a contact point for the ECG system, for the purpose of exchanging information with the Member States, to ensure a coordinated development, operation and maintenance of that electronic system.
Each Member State shall designate a contact point for the ECG system, for the purpose of exchanging information with the Commission, to ensure a coordinated development, operation and maintenance of that electronic system.
The Commission contact point shall maintain and keep up to date a list of all contact points and make it available to the other contact points.


Article 11

Contingency arrangements


1.   The ECG system contact points shall maintain an online public repository containing a writeable electronic template of all export licences that may be issued in the ECG system.


2.   Where the ECG system, or one of its functionalities, is unavailable for more than eight consecutive hours, users may use the writeable electronic template referred to in paragraph 1.


3.   Once the ECG system or the unavailable functionality become available again, operators shall use the documents created in accordance with paragraph 2 to record the same information in the system.




SECTION 4


PROTECTION OF PERSONAL DATA RELATED TO EXPORT LICENCES



Article 12

Joint controllership


1.   The Commission and the Member States shall be regarded as data controllers of the processing of personal data necessary for the establishment, operation and use of the ECG system.


2.   The Commission shall be responsible for:






(a)


determining and implementing the technical means in the ECG system to inform data subjects and enable them to exercise their rights;










(b)


ensuring the security of processing;










(c)


determining the categories of its staff and external providers to whom access to the system may be granted;










(d)


notifying and communicating any personal data breach of the ECG system to the European Data Protection Supervisor, pursuant to Article 34 of Regulation (EU) 2018/1725 and to the data subjects pursuant to Article 35 of that Regulation, respectively;










(e)


ensuring that its staff and external providers are adequately trained to perform their tasks within the ECG system in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2018/1725.






3.   Member States shall be responsible for:






(a)


ensuring that the data subjects rights are exercised in compliance with Regulation (EU) 2016/679 of the European Parliament and of the Council (10) and with this Regulation;










(b)


ensuring the security and confidentiality of personal data pursuant to Section 2 of Chapter IV of Regulation (EU) 2016/679;










(c)


designating the staff and experts that are to have access to the ECG system;










(d)


ensuring that staff and experts accessing the ECG system are adequately trained to perform their tasks in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2016/679 and, where relevant, with Directive (EU) 2016/680 of the European Parliament and of the Council (11).






4.   The Commission and the Member States shall enter into a joint controllership arrangement in the form of an agreement at the latest on 18 June 2029, and in any case before the date from which this Regulation applies in accordance with Article 15, second paragraph.


5.   The ECG system shall store personal data obtained pursuant to Articles 4, 5 and 6 for a maximum period of 10 years from the date on which the data were introduced into the ECG system. Those personal data shall be erased upon the expiry of that period.




SECTION 5


FINAL PROVISIONS



Article 13

Establishment of the ECG system

The Commission shall establish the ECG system referred to in Article 8 of this Regulation by 2 October 2031.


Article 14

Repeal

Implementing Regulation (EU) No 1081/2012 is repealed. References to the repealed Regulation shall be construed as references to this Regulation.


Article 15

Entry into force and application

This Regulation shall enter into force on the twentieth day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.
It shall apply from 2 October 2031.





This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.
Done at Brussels, 28 May 2026.


For the Commission


The President

Ursula VON DER LEYEN
            





(1)  
            OJ L 39, 10.2.2009, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2009/116/oj.

(2)  Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 1081/2012 of 9 November 2012 for the purposes of Council Regulation (EC) No 116/2009 on the export of cultural goods (OJ L 324, 22.11.2012, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_impl/2012/1081/oj).

(3)  Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions: EU eGovernment Action Plan 2016-2020 – Accelerating the digital transformation of government (COM(2016) 179 final) of 19 April 2016, available online in https://ec.europa.eu/isa2/sites/default/files/docs/publications/eu-egovernment-action-plan-2016-2020_en.pdf.

(4)  Tallinn Declaration on eGovernment at the ministerial meeting during the Estonian Presidency of the Council of the EU on 6 October 2017, available online at: https://ec.europa.eu/newsroom/dae/redirection/document/47559.

(5)  Regulation (EU) 2019/880 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 April 2019 on the introduction and the import of cultural goods (OJ L 151, 7.6.2019, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2019/880/oj).

(6)  Regulation (EU) 2022/2399 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 November 2022 establishing the European Union Single Window Environment for Customs and amending Regulation (EU) No 952/2013 (OJ L 317, 9.12.2022, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2022/2399/oj).

(7)  Regulation (EU) 2018/1725 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2018 on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data by the Union institutions, bodies, offices and agencies and on the free movement of such data, and repealing Regulation (EC) No 45/2001 and Decision No 1247/2002/EC (OJ L 295, 21.11.2018, p. 39, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2018/1725/oj).

(8)  Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2015/2446 of 28 July 2015 supplementing Regulation (EU) No 952/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards detailed rules concerning certain provisions of the Union Customs Code (OJ L 343, 29.12.2015, p. 1, ELI: 
http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_del/2015/2446/oj


(9)  Regulation (EU) 2016/429 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 9 March 2016 on transmissible animal diseases and amending and repealing certain acts in the area of animal health (Animal Health Law) (OJ L 84, 31.3.2016, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2016/429/oj).

(10)  Regulation (EU) 2016/679 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 April 2016 on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data, and repealing Directive 95/46/EC (General Data Protection Regulation) (OJ L 119, 4.5.2016, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2016/679/oj).

(11)  Directive (EU) 2016/680 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 April 2016 on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data by competent authorities for the purposes of the prevention, investigation, detection or prosecution of criminal offences or the execution of criminal penalties, and on the free movement of such data, and repealing Council Framework Decision 2008/977/JHA (OJ L 119, 4.5.2016, p. 89, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dir/2016/680/oj).




ANNEX I
TEMPLATE FOR THE STANDARD EXPORT LICENCE
The entries, specified in this part, constitute the data elements for a standard export licence form. All fields are mandatory, except those indicated by an asterisk (*).
The sequence of boxes in the template and the size and shape of those boxes are indicative.








EXPORT LICENCE










1.


Reference Number






 








2.


Status












3.


QR CODE














4.


National Reference*






 










5.


Member State and issuing competent authority














6.


Type of export:








Permanent ☐


Temporary ☐










7.


Consignee














8.


Links to other documents














9.


Purpose of export














10.


Third country of destination








DESCRIPTION OF THE CULTURAL GOOD










11.


Category number














12.


CN Code














13.


Description of the cultural good








Type of the object:


 




Materials:


 




Technique(s):


 




Title/subject:


 




Dating:


 




Maker:


 




Origin:


 




Description:


 




Customs value:


 










14.


Photographs and Measurements








Photograph three-quarter (3-D)


Measurements:
Description of mark:
Distinguishing feature:
Inscription
Original text*:
Translated text*:




Photograph front




Photograph left (3-D)




Photograph right (3-D)




Photograph back




Photograph top (3-D)




Photograph bottom (3-D)




Photograph markings*




Photograph distinguishing feature)*




Photograph Inscriptions*










15.


Supporting documents














16.


Applicant/Exporter:
Name:
Street and number:
City:
Postcode:
Country:
EORI Number:












17.


Owner of the goods:
Name:
Street and number:
City:
Postcode:
Country:














18.


Declaration:

I hereby apply for an export licence in respect of the cultural object or objects described above, which I intend to export from the European Union and declare that the information in this application and the supporting documents is true.








Electronic signature of the applicant exporter


Date (Timestamp)





COMPETENT AUTHORITY










19.



Decision of the competent authority:










20.



Valid until/Expiry date: [DD/MM/YYYY]

For temporary exports, date of reimportation*: [DD/MM/YYYY]









Electronic seal:
Advanced or qualified electronic seal of the competent authority selected in box 5.





Explanatory Notes









1.



Reference number. This is the unique alphanumeric code assigned to the document by the ECG system.












2.



Status. This is the status of the document in the ECG system.












3.



QR code. This is the unique machine-readable optical label assigned by the ECG system, which hyperlinks to the electronic version of the document.












4.



National reference*. The competent authority can use this box to indicate the unique alphanumeric code assigned at national level to the document.












5.



Member State competent authority. Name of the competent authority and the Member State issuing the export licence.












6.



Type of export. Indicate whether export is permanent or temporary.












7.



Consignee. Name and full address of the consignee in the third country to which the good is being permanently or temporarily exported.












8.



Links to other documents. In case the Member State issuing the export licence requires also the issuance of a national movement licence to take the cultural good out of its territory, please indicate the code number of that document and upload it on the ECG.












9.



Purpose of export. State whether the good to be exported has been sold or is intended to be sold, exhibited, valued, repaired or put to any other use, and whether its return is mandatory.












10.



Third country of destination. Please indicate the third country of destination.












11.



Category of the object. Category of the cultural good in terms of Annex I to Regulation (EC) No 116/2009 which classifies these goods in categories numbered 1 to 15(b). Enter only the corresponding category or subcategory number.












12.



CN code. Indicate the Combined Nomenclature code in which the cultural good is classified.












13.


Indicate the following information about the object:






—



Type of object: indicate in more specific terms what kind of object is the cultural good, going beyond the generic description already given by the category title, for example: bust of Augustus Caesar; painting of a picnic gathering in the forest; sculpture of a child with pet dog; bas-relief of a battle scene, print map of the port of Marseilles; negative matrix or positive copy of a surrealist film, Luis XV-style set of armchairs; Stradivarius violin; etc.






—


For category 13 objects: state the type of collection and its geographical origin.










—


For scientific collections and specimens: give the scientific name of the specimen(s).














—



Materials: indicate what materials were used to make the cultural object or of what material it consists (for natural objects).










—



Technique(s): indicate the technique(s) used to make the cultural object. For paleontological, zoological, botanical, mineralogical or anatomical objects indicate ‘natural object – non applicable’.










—



Title/subject: indicate the title of the cultural object, if known. If the work does not have a given name, indicate its subject with a summary of the appearance of the object or, in the case of films, the subject of the film. For scientific instruments or other objects for which it is not possible to specify a title or subject, it is sufficient to complete the box ‘type of object’. For paleontological, zoological, botanical, mineralogical or anatomical objects indicate ‘natural object – non applicable’.










—



Dating: Where no precise date is known, indicate the century and part of the century (first quarter, first half) or millennium (categories 1 and 2).
For antique goods to which age specifications apply (more than 50 or 100 years old or between 50 and 100 years old), and for which it is not sufficient to indicate the century, specify a year, even if approximate (for example around 1890, approximately 1950).
For films, if date not known, specify decade.
In the case of sets (archives and libraries), indicate earliest and latest dates.










—



Maker: Give the artist’s name, if known and recorded. If the works are collaborative products or copies, indicate the artists or the artist copied, if known. If the work is only attributed to a single artist, enter ‘Attributed to […]’. If the artist is not known, state the workshop, school or style (for example workshop of Velazquez, Venetian school, Ming period, Louis XV-style or Victorian-style). In the case of printed matter, state the name of the publisher, the place and the year of publication. For paleontological, zoological, botanical, mineralogical or anatomical objects, indicate ‘natural object – non applicable’.










—



Origin: indicate the historical origin of the cultural object. For example, for a Minotaur statue, one could indicate ‘Minoan civilisation’.










—



Description: indicate other distinct characteristics of the object and any other information about the object that could be used to identify it, for example, historical antecedents, conditions of execution, former owners, state of preservation and restoration, bibliography, electronic code or marking, etc.










—



Customs value: indicate the value of the cultural good for customs purposes in the national currency unit.
















14.



Photographs and measurements. Upload good quality photographs of the object in:






—


Three-quarter, where appropriate (3-dimensional objects);










—


Front;










—


Left side, where appropriate (3-dimensional objects);










—


Right side, where appropriate (3-dimensional objects);










—


Back;










—


Top, where appropriate (3-dimensional objects);










—


Bottom, where appropriate (3-dimensional objects).




For cultural goods presenting distinguishing features, provide a photograph of the distinguishing feature and a textual description.
For cultural goods presenting marks, provide a photograph and textual description of the mark.
For cultural goods presenting inscriptions, provide a photograph of the inscription and, if possible, the text of the inscription in its original language or a translation.

Measurements:
Indicate the weight, shape and measurements of the object. In the case of complex or irregularly-shaped objects, indicate the measurements in centimetres in this order: H × L × D (height, width, depth).












15.



Supporting documents. Upload any documents related to the identification, provenance or proof of value of the cultural good, such as certificates, expert appraisals, catalogues, ownership titles, etc.












16.



Applicant/Exporter. Indicate the name, address, country (in ISO alpha-2 country code) and EORI number of the exporter in whose name the export licence is issued.












17.



Owner of the goods. Indicate the name, address, country (in ISO alpha-2 country code) of the owner of the cultural good(s). If it is the same person as the applicant/exporter, the information to input should be the same as in box 16.












18.



Declaration of the applicant/exporter. A declaration on the veracity of statements and information provided by the applicant in support of their application for an export licence. The declaration must be signed with the electronic signature of the exporter and date-stamped.












19.



Decision of the competent authority. This part is to be filled in by the competent authority, indicating whether the application is accepted and the export licence is granted.












20.



Valid until/Expiry date. The competent authority should indicate the expiry date of the export licence (12 months from the date of issuance).
In cases of temporary exports for which the competent authority has set a time limit for the reimportation of the cultural good, the relevant date should also be indicated.









ANNEX II
TEMPLATE FOR THE SPECIFIC OPEN LICENCE
The entries, specified in this part, constitute the data elements for a specific open export licence form. This type of licence allows the temporary export from the Union on a regular basis of cultural goods for use, study, restoration and/or exhibition in a third country.
All fields are mandatory, except those indicated by an asterisk (*).
The sequence of boxes in the template and the size and shape of those boxes are indicative.








SPECIFIC OPEN EXPORT LICENCE










1.


Reference Number












2.


Status












3.


QR CODE














4.


National Reference*














5.


Member State competent authority














6.


Links to other documents














7.


Purpose of export








DESCRIPTION OF THE CULTURAL GOOD










8.


Category number














9.


CN Code














10.


Description of the cultural good








Type of the object:


 




Materials:


 




Technique(s):


 




Title/subject:


 




Dating:


 




Maker:


 




Origin:


 




Description:


 




Customs value:


 










11.


Photographs and Measurements








Photograph three-quarter (3-D)


Measurements (should match photographs on the left side):
Type of Mark:
Type of distinguishing feature:
Inscription
Original text*:
Translated text*:




Photograph front




Photograph left (3-D)




Photograph right (3-D)




Photograph back




Photograph top (3-D)




Photograph bottom (3-D)




Photograph markings*




Photograph distinguishing feature)*




Photograph Inscriptions*










12.


Supporting documents














13.



Applicant/Exporter:
Name:
Street and number:
City:
Postcode:
Country:
EORI Number:












14.



Owner of the goods:
Name:
Street and number:
City:
Postcode:
Country:














15.



Declaration:

I hereby apply for a specific open export licence in respect of the cultural object described above, which







☐



I own











☐



is in my possession legitimately and which I intend to export from the European Union for use, study, conservation or exhibition and declare that the information in this application and the supporting documents is true.












Electronic signature of the applicant exporter


Date (Timestamp)





COMPETENT AUTHORITY










16.


Decision on the application for an export licence










17.



Valid until/Expiry date: [DD/MM/YYYY]









Electronic seal:
Advanced or qualified electronic seal of the competent authority selected in box 5.





Explanatory Notes









1.



Reference number. This is the unique alphanumeric code assigned to the document by the ECG system.












2.



Status. This is the status of the document in the ECG system.












3.



QR code. This is the unique machine-readable optical label assigned by the ECG system, which hyperlinks to the electronic version of the document.












4.



National reference*. The competent authority can use this box to indicate the unique alphanumeric code assigned at national level to the document.












5.



Member State competent authority. Name of the competent authority and the Member State issuing the export licence.












6.



Links to other documents. In case the Member State issuing the export licence requires also the issuance of a national movement licence to take the cultural good legally out of its territory, please indicate the code number of that document and upload a copy on the ECG.












7.



Purpose of export. State whether the good is to be studied, exhibited, used or preserved in the third country. More than one purpose may be selected, e.g. study and exhibition.












8.



Category number. Category of the cultural good in terms of Annex I to Regulation (EC) No 116/2009 which classifies these goods in categories numbered 1 to 15(b). Enter only the corresponding category or subcategory number.












9.



CN code. Indicate the Combined Nomenclature code in which the cultural good is classified.












10.


Indicate the following information about the object:






—



Type of object: indicate in more specific terms what kind of object is the cultural good, going beyond the generic description already given by the category title, for example: bust of Augustus Caesar; painting of a picnic gathering in the forest; sculpture of a child with pet dog; bas-relief of a battle scene, print map of the port of Marseilles; negative matrix or positive copy of a surrealist film, Luis XV-style set of armchairs; Stradivarius violin; etc.






—


For category 13 objects: state the type of collection and its geographical origin.










—


For scientific collections and specimens: give the scientific name of the specimen(s).














—



Materials: indicate what materials were used to make the cultural object or of what material it consists (for natural objects).










—



Technique(s): indicate the technique(s) used to make the cultural object. For paleontological, zoological, botanical, mineralogical or anatomical objects indicate ‘natural object – non applicable’.










—



Title/subject: indicate the title of the cultural object, if known. If the work does not have a given name, indicate its subject with a summary of the appearance of the object or, in the case of films, the subject of the film. For scientific instruments or other objects for which it is not possible to specify a title or subject, it is sufficient to complete the box ‘type of object’. For paleontological, zoological, botanical, mineralogical or anatomical objects indicate ‘natural object – non applicable’.










—



Dating: Where no precise date is known, indicate the century and part of the century (first quarter, first half) or millennium (categories 1 and 2).
For antique goods to which age specifications apply (more than 50 or 100 years old or between 50 and 100 years old), and for which it is not sufficient to indicate the century, specify a year, even if approximate (for example around 1890, approximately 1950).
For films, if date not known, specify decade.
In the case of sets (archives and libraries), indicate earliest and latest dates.










—



Maker: Give the artist’s name if known and recorded. If the works are collaborative products or copies, indicate the artists or the artist copied, if known. If the work is only attributed to a single artist, enter ‘Attributed to […]’. If the artist is not known, state the workshop, school or style (for example workshop of Velazquez, Venetian school, Ming period, Louis XV-style or Victorian-style). In the case of printed matter, state the name of the publisher, the place and the year of publication. For paleontological, zoological, botanical, mineralogical or anatomical objects indicate ‘natural object – non applicable’.










—



Origin: indicate the historical origin of the cultural object. For example, for a Minotaur statue one could indicate ‘Minoan civilisation’.










—



Description: indicate other distinct characteristics of the object and any other information about the object that could be used to identify it, for example, historical antecedents, conditions of execution, former owners, state of preservation and restoration, bibliography, electronic code or marking, etc.










—



Customs value: indicate the value of the cultural good for customs purposes in the national currency unit.
















11.



Photographs and measurements. Upload good quality photographs of the object in:






—


Three-quarter, where appropriate (3-dimensional objects);










—


Front;










—


Left side, where appropriate (3-dimensional objects);










—


Right side, where appropriate (3-dimensional objects);










—


Back;










—


Top, where appropriate (3-dimensional objects);










—


Bottom, where appropriate (3-dimensional objects).
For cultural goods presenting distinguishing features, provide a photograph of the distinguishing feature and a textual description.
For cultural goods presenting marks, provide a photograph and textual description of the mark.
For cultural goods presenting inscriptions, provide a photograph of the inscription and, if possible, the text of the inscription in its original language or a translation.

Measurements:
Indicate the weight, shape and measurements of the object. In the case of complex or irregularly-shaped objects, indicate the measurements in centimetres in this order: H × L × D (height, width, depth).
















12.



Supporting documents. Upload any documents related to the identification, provenance or proof of value of the cultural good, such as certificates, expert appraisals, catalogues, ownership titles, etc.












13.



Applicant/Exporter. Indicate the name, address, country (in ISO alpha-2 country code) and EORI number of the exporter in whose name the export licence is issued.












14.



Owner of the goods. Indicate the name, address, country (in ISO alpha-2 country code) of the owner of the cultural good(s). If it is the same person as the applicant/exporter, the information to input should be the same as in box 13.












15.



Declaration of the applicant/exporter. A declaration on the veracity of statements and information provided by the applicant in support of their application for a specific open export licence. The declaration must be signed with the electronic signature of the exporter and date-stamped.












16.



Decision of the competent authority. This part is to be filled in by the competent authority, indicating whether the application is accepted and the export licence is granted.












17.



Valid until/Expiry date. The competent authority should indicate the expiry date of the specific open export licence (maximum 5 years from the date of issuance).









ANNEX III
TEMPLATE FOR THE GENERAL OPEN LICENCE
The entries, specified in this part, constitute the data elements for a general open export licence form. This type of export licence allows the temporary export of cultural goods which are part of the permanent collection of a museum or similar institution and may be used to cover a number of different export consignments to different destinations during its period of validity. It is only valid provided that it is presented together with a list of the cultural goods to be temporarily exported as part of a single consignment.
All fields are mandatory, except those indicated by an asterisk (*).
The sequence of boxes in the template, and the size and shape of those boxes are indicative.








GENERAL OPEN EXPORT LICENCE










1.


Reference Number












2.


Status












3.


QR CODE














4.


National Reference*














5.


Member State competent authority














6.


Museum or similar institution holder of the open general licence














7.



Authorised representative(s):
Name:
Street and number*:
City*:
Postcode*:
Country*:
EORI Number :














8.


Supporting documents














9.



Declaration:

I hereby apply for a general open export licence in respect of cultural objects which are part of the institution’s permanent collection, which I intend to export temporarily from the European Union for exhibition and declare that the information in this application and the supporting documents is true.








Electronic signature of the applicant exporter museum or similar institution


Date (Timestamp)





COMPETENT AUTHORITY










10.


Decision on the application for an export licence










11.



Valid until/Expiry date: This licence may be used to cover a number of different export consignments to different destinations during the period from [DD/MM/YYYY] to [DD/MM/YYYY]









Electronic seal:
Advanced or qualified electronic seal of the competent authority selected in box 5.













LIST OF CULTURAL GOODS TO BE TEMPORARILY EXPORTED

This part is to be repeated for each cultural good that is part of an export consignment.






Category number:





Permanent collection inventory number:





CN code:





Description of the cultural good:




Type of the object:


 




Dating:


 




Maker:


 




Title/subject:


 




Other characteristics:


 




Photograph(s)


 





Explanatory Notes









1.



Reference number. This is the unique alphanumeric code assigned to the document by the ECG system.












2.



Status. This is the status of the document in the ECG system.












3.



QR code. This is the unique machine-readable optical label assigned by the ECG system, which hyperlinks to the electronic version of the document.












4.



National reference*. The competent authority can use this box to indicate the unique alphanumeric code assigned at national level to the document.












5.



Member State competent authority. Name of the competent authority and the Member State issuing the export licence.












6.



Museum or similar institution holder of the open general licence. Indicate the name and address of the museum or similar institution that will export cultural goods from its permanent collection.












7.



Authorised representative(s). Indicate the name, and the EORI number of the authorised representative(s) (and optionally, address, country in ISO alpha 2 country code) of the museum or similar institution who is to accomplish the export formalities.












8.



Supporting documents. Upload any documents related to the identification, provenance or proof of value of the cultural good(s), such as expert appraisals, collection inventories, catalogues, publications, etc.












9.



Declaration of the applicant/exporter. A declaration on the veracity of statements and information provided by the applicant institution in support of their application for a general open export licence. The declaration must be signed with the electronic signature of the museum representative and date-stamped.












10.



Decision of the competent authority. This part is to be filled in by the competent authority, indicating whether the application is accepted and the export licence is granted.












11.



Valid until/Expiry date. The competent authority should indicate the expiry date of the general open export licence (maximum 5 years from the date of issuance).

List of cultural goods to be temporarily exported. For each consignment shipped on the basis of the general open licence, the museum-holder of the licence or their authorised representative must upload on the ECG system a list of the cultural goods belonging to the museum’s permanent collection that are to be exported.
Provide for every cultural good that is part of the list its category or subcategory number, its inventory number or other indicator in the museum’s permanent collection, its classification in the Combined Nomenclature and a brief description covering its type, age, maker, title or subject and any particular characteristics of the object.
Upload at least one good quality photograph of each object. For sets or collections or similar type objects, for example an encyclopaedia in twelve volumes; Napoleon’s tea set; 1930s Bauhaus-style furniture; etc. the photograph can be of the entire set or collection, provided that each object is clearly visible in the picture.







ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_impl/2026/1144/oj
ISSN 1977-0677 (electronic edition)