France to Advance Bill on Returning Looted Cultural Artifacts

France is advancing a bill to return cultural artifacts acquired during the colonial period. The initiative concerns objects taken between 1815 and 1972.

The bill aims to return items acquired through theft, looting, or coercion. The return process will be facilitated through a government decision or a bilateral committee.

Priority will be given to African countries, but the scope will be global. The committee will examine whether the objects were acquired illegally.