ECA Sets CPAC Hearing on Greek Request

Despite the serious questions that have been raised about the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs' process for imposing import restrictions on cultural artifacts (most recently by Urice and Adler), the State Department's Cultural Heritage Center is forging ahead with what is sure to be another controversial request for import restrictions-- this time from Greece.

Again, the time for comment is short, only until 9/22. In addition, the State Department now evidently wants to avoid being deluged with faxes from concerned coin collectors. As a result, most public comment now must be made through the following website: http://www.regulations.gov/
The website actually appears user friendly. Just type the docket number, DOS-2010-0339, into the search box and follow the directions from there.

At this point, we know little about what artifacts Greeks seeks to restrict. The State Department has declared the country request to be "secret." State promises a summary of that request will be put on the Cultural Heritage Center website, but none has appeared as yet.

Addendum: ECA has placed the applicable Federal Register Notice, directions for public comment and a summary of the Greek request here:

http://exchanges.state.gov/heritage/whatsnew.html

I hope to be able to comment on this material soon.