France Proposes Streamlined Process for Restitution of Plundered Artifacts

The French government is taking steps to expedite the repatriation of cultural artifacts looted during the colonial era. On Wednesday, July 30, officials discussed a new bill designed to simplify the process of returning these plundered works to their countries of origin.

If approved, the proposed law would cover artworks obtained through "theft, looting, transfer or donation obtained through coercion or violence" between 1815 and 1972. This would make it easier for France to restitute cultural goods that "originating from states that, due to illicit appropriation, were deprived of them." The Sénat is expected to discuss the draft legislation in September.

France's current laws have hindered the return of colonial-era lootings, as the repatriation of each item in the national collection must be voted on individually. The new bill aims to streamline this process. It is the third and final part of legislative efforts to speed up the removal and return of artworks held in France's national collection, following laws to return property looted by the Nazis and human remains.

In recent years, France has taken some steps to repatriate stolen artifacts, including returning 26 formerly royal items to Benin in 2021 and a "talking drum" seized from the Ebrie tribe in Côte d'Ivoire in 1916. However, France is estimated to hold the majority of the 90,000 African works in its museums, according to a 2018 report.