This project, jointly submitted by Expertise France and the Carabinieri Corps (Arma dei Carabinieri), presents a comprehensive initiative aimed at supporting the fight against the illicit trafficking of cultural property in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. Anchored in the European Union’s strategic framework for the protection of cultural heritage and regional stability, the proposed action seeks to address the major challenges faced by the Southern Neighbourhood countries, in particular Algeria, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Morocco and Tunisia. These countries serve both as sources and as critical transit points for trafficked cultural goods, and are significantly affected by instability, limited law enforcement resources, and insufficient border control systems.

The project responds to the increasing destruction and looting of cultural heritage in the MENA region, acts that not only erode cultural identity and memory, but also finance organised crime and terrorism. Despite the existence of international conventions and relevant policy tools, the issue remains marginalised within national agendas. The action therefore proposes a holistic approach that includes strengthening institutional capacities, improving inter-institutional and cross-border cooperation, and mobilising cultural actors as agents of prevention and protection. In the long term, this project will thus contribute to the peace, stability and prosperity of the region and of Europe.

Structured in two phases over a 36-month period, the project will be implemented through three interconnected components:

1.    Strengthening prevention and detection among market actors and cultural institutions;

2.    Developing the capacities of law enforcement authorities and judicial actors;

3.    Promoting regional and inter-regional cooperation.

Activities will include the dissemination of digitised cultural databases, training-of-trainers programmes, as well as the establishment of regional focal points and standardised operating procedures.

As lead partner, Expertise France brings more than ten years of experience in implementing EU-funded security and governance projects in the MENA region. Expertise France will mobilise its multidisciplinary expertise, institutional networks and strategic partnerships with organisations such as UNESCO, INTERPOL and the International Alliance for the Protection of Cultural Heritage in Conflict Areas (ALIPH). The Carabinieri Corps will contribute its globally recognised operational model and technical expertise, notably through its Cultural Heritage Protection Unit (TPC), providing support in investigation, monitoring and capacity building based on decades of national and international experience.

Ultimately, this initiative aims to create sustainable, localised solutions to counter trafficking by integrating the protection of cultural heritage into national security strategies and building robust mechanisms for transnational cooperation. The proposal is fully aligned with the objectives of the European Union’s external action and contributes to lasting peace, stability and prosperity in the region.