New import controls on cultural goods have been introduced with effect from 28 June 2025, in accordance with EU Regulation 2019/880. This regulation mandates that certain cultural goods must be accompanied by either an import license or an importer statement before entering the European Union. These requirements apply only to cultural goods created or discovered outside the EU.

Scope and Applicability

The new controls apply to cultural goods falling under Chapter 97 of the Combined Nomenclature (CN). Affected commodity codes are now clearly flagged in the EU’s TARIC system (Integrated Tariff of the European Communities).

Import licenses and importer statements will be issued by the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage Malta (SCH) and processed through the non-Customs ICG Licensing system.

See FAQs further below.

Overview of Regulation (EU) 2019/880

The Regulation introduces three main provisions:

• Prohibition: Cultural goods unlawfully removed from their country of origin may not be introduced into the EU.
• Import License: Required for cultural goods such as archaeological objects and parts of monuments over 250 years old.
• Importer Statement: Required for items such as paintings and manuscripts over 200 years old and valued above €18,000.

These measures ensure that cultural goods entering the EU have been legally exported from their country of origin.

Implementation via the ICG System

The Import of Cultural Goods (ICG) system is a centralized electronic platform managed by the EU and operated locally by the SCH Malta. As of 28 June 2025, use of this system has become mandatory for:

• Submitting import license applications
• Submitting importer statements
• Sharing and storing information between national authorities

Download the ICG Importers User Manual (v2.0): https://taxation-customs.ec.europa.eu/document/download/c8085342-90b0-4d59-8d4d-c42de8597791_en?filename=ICG%20system%20manual%20for%20Importers%20v2.0.pdf

Integration with Customs Systems (EU-CSW CERTEX)

Soon, the ICG system will be fully integrated with:

• The EU Single Window Certificate Exchange System (EU-CSW CERTEX)
• Malta’s national customs systems

This integration will allow:

• Automated sharing of validated import licenses and statements with Customs
• Streamlined customs clearance via digital document exchange
• Closer cooperation between Customs and non-Customs authorities

In the interim, economic operators and declarants are advised to upload validated documents in PDF format to the “Attachments” section of their import declaration in the Customs system.

What Economic Operators Need To Do

1. Register in the “TRACES ICG” module.
2. Submit applications for import licenses or draw up importer statements via the ICG system.
3. Upload validated documents to Customs declarations.
4. Login to ICG System via TRACES NT: https://webgate.ec.europa.eu/tracesnt/login

Useful Links and Contacts

• FAQs on Importation of Cultural Goods: https://taxation-customs.ec.europa.eu/document/download/f5bd5b03-9849-448d-80db-ac4b20b526ca_en?filename=QA-Import-cultural-goods.pdf

• Summary of EU Regulation 2019/880: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=legissum:4398776

• Superintendence of Cultural Heritage Malta (SCH): https://schmalta.mt/movement-of-cultural-heritage-items/  

• SCH Malta Helpdesk: https://schmalta.mt/contact-us/

• Customs Helpdesk – Customs Systems Queries