Customs regulations on valuables

Text 1

Task 1. Read and translate the text.

Under Russian law items older than fifty years are considered part of Russia’s national and cultural heritage. But an object must be more than just old to be called an antique. Antiques of all kinds are highly valued for their beauty, craftsmanship, quality of design and sometimes for their relation to a historical period or to some well-known person.

Cultural valuables include: original hand-made pictures and drawings; sculptures, icons, engravings; handicrafts; ancient books and manuscripts; photo-, audio- and video- archives; unique and rare musical instruments, furniture, rugs; post stamps; various kinds of metal ware, orders, medals, coins; etc. Modern items and items of mass production are not related to cultural valuables.

Export and import of cultural valuables are regulated and controlled by the state bodies. Exported cultural valuables are subject to special registration in the order established by the Federal Customs Service and the Culture Ministry which keep the State Protection Lists and Registers.

There is a standard procedure for individuals who want to take cultural valuables out of the country. The owner must apply to the Culture Ministry for permission and present the proof of ownership for the valuable item. It can be a receipt from the shop or an auction or an old photo or some other document. When they receive the necessary documents, the Ministry issues a certificate confirming the right to export cultural valuables. The certificate allows carrying cultural valuables across the customs and state border of the country.

When passing through the customs control a person should declare the valuable item both in his exit and entry declaration forms and it is obligatory to present it for inspection. Undeclared items found during the search are detained and the person may be accused of smuggling.

Cultural valuables in search are subject to arrest for their following return to the legal proprietors.

The author has the right to take out of the Russian Federation any quantity of cultural valuables created by him, no matter whether he is leaving the country temporarily or for permanent residence abroad.

Illegal bringing in and taking out of cultural valuables is considered as smuggling and is to be punished in accordance with the Criminal Code or the legislation of the RF related to administrative violations.

Дата добавления: 2015-07-10