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Sweden

Contracting State since
2003.01.13
Lastly updated
2022.03.10

Contact for consular services

German Embassy
Bilateral relations and German missions
homepage: https://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/en/aussenpolitik/laenderinformationen

Review

The Historic Environment Act (1988:950) states in chapter five the substantive rules on the export of cultural goods, e.g.that older Swedish and foreign cultural goods of major importance to the national cultural heritage may not be taken out of Sweden without special permission.

The Historic Environment Ordinance (1988:1188) contains procedural provisions, in its annex the comprehensive list on categories requiring a permit is included.

National legal bases

National Regualtions

The Historic Environment Act (1988:950), the Historic Environment Ordinance (1988:1188) and the Act concerning Penalties for Smuggling (2000:1225).

EU regulations
The licence for the export of cultural goods from the European customs territory is subject to Council Regulation (EC) No. 116/2009 of 18 December 2008 on the export of cultural goods (OJ L 39, 10.2.2009, p. 1). Exports to the internal market, however, are subject to national regulations, which may differ from the Council regulation with respect to the value and age thresholds of the categories of the protected cultural property.

Further information on the legal situation can be requested from the EUR-Lex Datenbank. The EU also maintains a special database for the regulations regarding the protection of cultural property.

The multilingual UNESCO Database of National Cultural Heritage Laws provides access to the relevant national legal bases. Another source of information on national cultural asset protection laws is the Sharing Electronic Resources and Laws On Crime (SHERLOC) of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).

This State Party to the UNESCO Convention of 14 November 1970 is also a State Party to the 1995 UNIDROIT Convention on Stolen or Illegaly Exported Cultural Objects, which entered into force on 1 July 1998. The national legal bases are therefore also partially provided by the WIPO database.

Definition of cultural property

The Historic Environment Act (1988:950) covers the following categories of cultural property:

Archaeological objects, Pictures and paintings, Original engravings, Original sculptures, Incunabula and manuscripts (minutes, letters, diaries, notes, drawings, accounts), Book, Printed maps, Archives of manuscripts, Means of transport, Articles of wood, Furniture, mirrors and coffers, Traditional textiles and clothings, Clocks, Faience, Arms, Instruments, Pottery, glassware, articles of Porphyry, articles of gold/silver/bronze, Chandeliers,Tapestries, Tiled stoves Technical models, Sami objects.

Export ban

Cultural objets that may be presumed to have been in Sweden for at least 75 years and may be of great importance to Sweden´s cultural heritage may not be taken out of the country without a specific licence. Sweden deploys a system of categories requiring permit for export. It includes thresholds on economic value and age. Objects that meet the definition in the respective categories require an export permit and/or an export licence if they are taken out of the country. The comprehensive list on categories reqiuring permit or licence for export.

Sanctions

The Act concerning Penalties for Smuggling (2000:1225) states provisions for liability, for instance concerning deeds relating to Sweden and the import or export of goods. According to this Act both smuggling and the attempted smuggling of cultural goods are punishable offenses. Minor offenses are punishable by fines. Gross offenses as aggravated smuggling are punishable by imprisonment for six months to six years.

Authorities responsible for issuing export permits

In Sweden the following five authorities are responsible for issuing export permits:

Swedish National Heritage Board
Box 5405
Storgatan 41
S-114 84 Stockholm
Sweden
Contact
Phone: 00 46 (0) 8-5191 8000
Fax: 00 46 (0) 8-660 72 84
E-Mail: registrator@raa.se
National Museum
Box 16176
S-103 24 Stockholm
Sweden
Contact
The Nordic museum
Box 27820
S-115 93 Stockholm
Sweden
Contact
The Swedish National Archives
Box 12541
S-102 29 Stockholm
Sweden
Contact
The National Library of Sweden
Box 5039
S-102 41 Stockholm
Sweden
Contact

Procedure

Duration
Usually approval procedures can range up to a few weeks. Depending on the severity and complexity of the case processing time may sometimes be longer.
Costs
none

Further Information

Information about Swedish export legislation has been made available to the public in a particular booklet and via the Swedish National Heritage Board’s website.

It is also possible to ask questions via telephone and e-mail to the Swedish National Heritage Board:

Maria Adolfsson, Swedish National Heritage Board, 08–5191 81 79, E-Mail

There are no information counters or help desks at for example airports or major train stations.

Further Information is available in German language.

Disclaimer:
The above information is based on the information available and deemed trustworthy at the time indicated, in particular the information provided by the State and the information as available in the UNESCO database . No guarantee can be given for the correctness and completeness of this information, nor can any liability be accepted for any damage that may occur. Legal regulations may change at any time without the Minister of State for Culture and the Media being informed. The decision to acquire, import, export or place cultural property on the market is your sole responsibility. It is therefore recommended that you contact the relevant diplomatic or consular representation and/or the export authorities of the respective foreign country.