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Switzerland & The International Trade In Art & Antiquities, Michele Kunitz

Northwestern Journal of International Law & Business

Recently, Switzerland has proposed a law that would significantly tighten its regulation of the antiquities trade. The draft law seeks to comport Swiss law with the broad goals of international conventions on the protection and transfer of cultural property. However, given Switzerland's past reluctance to curtail the illicit trade in antiquities, it remains unclear whether this measure will pass or if passed, whether the law would be adequately enforced. The primary aim of this Comment is to detail the history of international law as it pertains to cultural property and draw attention to the Swiss role in fostering the illicit …