Delegation: France

Opening Speech

France, a world leader in the arts and culture since its inception as
a republic, has built one
of the world's most diverse cultural lodges, valued at more than 1000 million euros, as a
delegation It has always been committed to preserving and enriching its heritage, and
therefore deeply understands the detrimental effects of the illegal trade in cultural property
in the digital environment.
Although France has implemented numerous measures to combat this illicit activity by
hands of organizations such as the OCBC and through one of the strictest legislations in the
world on trafficking in works of art. it recognizes the need for further improvement among
the international coherence systems and adaptations to technology.
Today, the delegation seeks to enhance the international action towards this issue,
particularly focusing on assuring vulnerable territories, the usual target of criminals. In
order to improve its own gaps in security it asks for assistance in the development of
technologies to address the issue.

Information:
Ineffectiveness of French measures against illegal trafficking of cultural property on the deep web
Limitations of current measures:

Lack of resources: France's Central Office to Combat Illicit Trafficking in Cultural Property (OCBC)
has limited resources to investigate and prosecute illegal trafficking on the deep web.
This makes it difficult to identify traffickers, confiscate assets, and prosecute those responsible.
Anonymity: The anonymous nature of the deep web makes it difficult to identify traffickers and
buyers. Criminals use pseudonyms, cryptocurrencies and virtual private networks to hide their
identity.
Lack of international harmonization: There is no harmonized international legal framework to
combat illegal trafficking of cultural property on the deep web. This makes cooperation between
law enforcement agencies from different countries difficult.
Fragmented approach: French measures have focused on awareness-raising,
training and international cooperation. However, a comprehensive and proactive approach to
combat illegal traffic on the deep web has not been implemented.
Request for specific data:
Number of investigations: France may be requested to provide data on the number of open and
closed investigations related to illegal trafficking of cultural property on the deep web.
Value of recovered property: Information may be requested on the value of cultural property
recovered as a result of investigations.
Number of convictions: Information can be requested on the number of people convicted of illegal
trafficking of cultural property on the deep web.
Impact of awareness-raising measures: Information can be requested on the impact of awareness-
raising measures on the French population regarding illegal trafficking of cultural property on the
deep web.
Recommendations:
Increase investment in the OCBC: France should increase investment in the OCBC to strengthen its
capacity to investigate and prosecute illegal trafficking on the deep web.
Develop technological tools: Technological tools should be developed to track illegal trafficking of
cultural property on the deep web.
Strengthen international cooperation: France should work with other countries to develop a
harmonized international legal framework to combat illegal trafficking of cultural property on the
deep web.
Implement a comprehensive approach: France should implement a comprehensive and proactive
approach to combat illegal trafficking of cultural property on the deep web.
Prioritizing online security over the protection of cultural heritage in France:
Counterarguments:

Importance of cultural heritage: Cultural heritage is an integral part of a nation's identity and
history. Its loss or destruction has a significant impact on society.
Responsibility to protect heritage: France has the responsibility to protect its cultural heritage for
future generations.
Impact of illegal trafficking: Illegal trafficking of cultural property is a serious crime that finances
criminal activities and destroys archaeological sites.
Sufficiency of security measures: Existing online security measures are sufficient to protect
Internet users without sacrificing the protection of cultural heritage.
Examples of measures that do not prioritize the protection of cultural heritage:
Prioritizing surveillance: France has prioritized online surveillance to combat terrorism and other
threats to national security. This has led to the mass collection of personal data, which can have a
negative impact on privacy and freedom of expression.
Lack of resources for heritage protection: France has not dedicated enough resources to the
protection of cultural heritage. This has made it difficult to combat illegal trafficking of cultural
property and protect archaeological sites.
Inadequate legislation: French legislation on the protection of cultural heritage is not strong
enough. This has made it difficult to prosecute cultural property traffickers and recover stolen
goods.
Arguments in favor of a balance between security and heritage protection:
Security as a foundation: Online security is essential for the functioning of a free and democratic
society.
Heritage protection as a complement: Cultural heritage protection should not be seen as an
obstacle to online safety, but rather as a complement.
Finding balanced solutions: It is possible to find solutions that balance online security with the
protection of cultural heritage.
Recommendations:
Increased investment in heritage protection: France should increase investment in cultural
heritage protection to strengthen its ability to combat illegal trafficking and protect archaeological
sites.
Improving legislation: France should improve its legislation on the protection of cultural heritage
to facilitate the prosecution of traffickers of cultural property and the recovery of stolen goods.
Development of technological solutions: Technological solutions should be developed to protect
cultural heritage online,
such as the use of 3D scanners to create digital records of archaeological sites.
Dialogue between actors: A dialogue between actors involved in online safety and the protection
of cultural heritage is necessary to find balanced solutions that protect both interests.