U.S. Amends and Extends M.O.U. with Colombia
March 17, 2011
On March 1, 2011, the U.S. and Colombia completed an exchange of diplomatic notes that extends the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), which protects the cultural patrimony of Colombia, for another five years. The original MOU was created in response to a request by the Colombian government under Article 9 of the 1970 UNESCO Convention. The MOU articulates a basis for the agreement; the high degree of technological, agricultural, and artistic achievement that requires scientific study and the importance that cultural objects play in connecting people to their past and their identity. Additionally, it defines the categories of objects subject to import restriction and supplies a designated list of items, and, allows for exportation of the items not the list only where there is a valid export permit from Colombian authorities.
For more information, including a pdf of the amendments, see the Colombia Information page at the U.S. State Department, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs website.
