The law 4858/2021 codifies provisions of the existing legislation (Law 3028/2002, Law 3658/2008, Law 4355/2015, Law 4688/2020, etc.). Specifically:
determining the time periods for the designation of immovable monuments,
– the body responsible for the ownership, administration and management of monuments, archaeological sites and cultural heritage properties in general,
– the obligations of owners, tenants or holders of immovable monuments,
– the spatial delimitation of archaeological sites,
– the procedure for the expropriation or deprivation of the use of immovable property in which monuments are located,
– movable monuments (conceptual definition, ownership, seizure, possession, possession, loan, custody and conservation, recognition of the status of collector, antiquities dealer and trader), as well as provisions concerning the conditions for the import and export of cultural goods,
– the return of cultural objects which have been unlawfully removed from the territory of a Member State, concerning the conceptual definition of cultural objects, the determination of competent authorities for the return procedure, the exchange of information, the judicial means and conditions for their return, the ownership of the returned cultural object,
– archaeological research and conservation work on monuments (systematic and/or rescue excavations, protection of crumbling monuments, transfer of immovable monuments and removal of parts of monuments),
– the establishment and operation of museums,
– the criminal sanctions that may be imposed on persons who engage in criminal acts such as theft, embezzlement, negligent damage, illegal transfer and trade in monuments, illegal excavation or illegal use of metal detectors, illegal export and import of cultural goods, etc,
– the granting of financial compensation to anyone who contributes to the recovery of monuments illegally possessed, etc.
Law 4858/2021: Ratification of the Code of Legislation for the Protection of Antiquities and Cultural Heritage in general.
