Art News. Vasari Codex

article policy schedule Jun 24, 2025 visibility 16 link 4 artists, 3 galleries

italy cuts art vat to 5 percent

Italy has announced a reduction in its VAT on art sales from 22 percent to 5 percent, the lowest rate in the European Union. The move, approved in a cabinet meeting and set to take effect within days, follows sustained pressure from Italian galleries, artists, auction houses, and art market players. The new rate must be approved by parliament within 60 days to become permanent. The change aligns with an EU directive allowing member states to lower taxes on art sales to at least 5 percent, and comes after the government initially resisted calls for reform.

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article policy schedule Feb 17, 2026 visibility 37 link 5 artists

UK artist resale right at 20: how successful has the pioneering scheme been?

The UK's Artist Resale Right (ARR), a law entitling visual artists to royalties from secondary market sales of their work, marks its 20th anniversary. Initially met with fierce opposition from auction houses and dealers who feared it would drive high-value sales offshore, the scheme is now largely accepted by the UK art trade, though concerns about administrative burdens compared to markets like New York and Hong Kong remain.

newspaper The Art Newspaper open_in_new Read original

article policy schedule Jun 23, 2025 visibility 14 link 3 artists

‘Momentous’: Italy to slash art VAT to 5%, the lowest rate in the EU

Italian lawmakers have approved a reduction of VAT on art sales from 22% to 5%, the lowest rate in the European Union. The decision, announced by culture minister Alessandro Giuli after a cabinet meeting on June 20, is expected to take effect this week. The reform follows intense lobbying by art market groups and a letter signed by 500 art world figures, including artists Maurizio Cattelan and Michelangelo Pistoletto, who warned the high rate was turning Italy into a "cultural desert." The tax cut must be passed by parliament within 60 days to remain in force, and may also apply to import VAT, potentially making Italy the most competitive art market in Europe from a tax standpoint.

newspaper The Art Newspaper open_in_new Read original

article policy schedule Apr 9, 2026 source 2 sources visibility 21 link 2 artists

Greece Introduces New Law to Combat Art Forgery and Vandalism

Greece has enacted a landmark legislative framework specifically designed to combat art forgery, vandalism, and the trade of counterfeit cultural property. The new law introduces stringent criminal penalties, including prison sentences of up to ten years and fines reaching €300,000, while mandating the destruction of works confirmed as fakes. Key provisions include the creation of an independent registry of forgery experts under the culture ministry and the expansion of legal protections to include historically significant cinemas.

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article policy schedule Nov 24, 2025 visibility 7 link 3 artists

triqueti campbell sculpture export bar

The U.K. government has imposed a temporary export bar on a mid-19th century marble sculpture by Henri-Joseph-François de Triqueti, depicting sisters Florence and Alice Campbell. The work, valued at £280,000 ($367,000), sold for £117,700 at Lyon and Turnbull auction house in January 2025. The Department for Culture, Media, and Sport (DCMS) intervened on the advice of the Reviewing Committee on the Export of Works of Art (RCEWA), citing the sculpture's rarity, outstanding aesthetic importance, and potential for scholarly study. The export license is deferred for three months, with a possible six-month extension, to allow a U.K. institution to acquire it.

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article policy schedule Aug 1, 2025 visibility 12 link 1 artist

senator john fetterman proposes bill to apply anti money laundering protections to us art market

On July 23, U.S. Senator John Fetterman introduced the Art Market Integrity Act, a bill that would apply anti-money laundering (AML) and counter-terrorism financing regulations to art dealers, auction houses, galleries, advisers, consultants, custodians, museums, collectors, and other intermediaries in the art market. The legislation amends the Bank Secrecy Act, requiring these entities to conduct client due diligence, maintain records, and report suspicious transactions. It exempts artists selling their own work, nonprofits, and businesses with under $50,000 in annual art transactions. The bill is co-sponsored by Senators Chuck Grassley, Sheldon Whitehouse, Bill Cassidy, Andy Kim, and David McCormick.

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article policy schedule Jun 4, 2025 visibility 16

new regulation around eu import law promises art market shakeup

A new European Union regulation, Regulation (EU) 2019/880, will take effect on June 28, requiring thorough provenance documentation for cultural objects over 200 years old (or 250 for archaeological items) imported into the EU. Importers must provide material evidence proving lawful acquisition from the country of origin, including the object's origin, export date, and chain of ownership, or face potential seizure. The rule builds on a 2019 anti-trafficking law and has sparked concern among EU-based dealers, who warn it could stifle the market for antiquities and non-European art.

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