In January of 2021, the UK announced that it would no longer apply such restrictions to the importation of cultural goods as stipulated by 2019 European Union legislation. Though it is legally within the rights of the UK government to disregard these regulatory efforts, doing so fundamentally undermines their commitment to upholding key tenets of international law, specifically the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court. When it comes to regulating the sale of blood antiquities, the UK government should thus rely upon international legal statutes and precedent to inform a prudent, long-term approach, rather than bowing to pressure from wealthy antiquities dealers.

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