On August 16, 2019, US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) published in the Federal Register a final rule [CBP Dec. 19-09] that amends the CBP regulations to reflect the imposition of import restrictions on certain archaeological material from the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria (Algeria). These restrictions are being imposed pursuant to an agreement between the United States and Algeria that has been entered into under the authority of the Convention on Cultural Property Implementation Act. The Agreement enables the promulgation of import restrictions on categories of archaeological material representing Algeria’s cultural heritage that is at least 250 years old, dating from the Paleolithic (approximately 2.4 million years ago), Neolithic, Classical, Byzantine, and Islamic periods and into the Ottoman period to A.D. 1750.

The final rule amends CBP regulations by adding Algeria to the list of countries which have a bilateral agreement with the United States to impose cultural property import restrictions. The final rule also contains the Designated List that describes the types of archaeological material to which the restrictions apply. In accordance with the Agreement, importation of material designated below is subject to the restrictions of 19 U.S.C. 2606 and 19 C.F.R. 12.104g(a) and will be restricted from entry into the United States unless the conditions set forth in 19 U.S.C. 2606 and § 12.104c of the CBP regulations (19 C.F.R. 12.104c) are met.