On the return of Romanian national treasure illegally appropriated by Russia
B-9-2024-0176
on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group · Rapporteur: Nicolae Ştefănuță, Francisco Guerreiro, Henrike Hahn
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Parliament's resolution condemns Russia for illegally appropriating and withholding Romania's national treasure, sent to Moscow in 1916 and 1917 under signed protocols guaranteeing its return.¶¶ It stresses that 91.5 tonnes of fine gold from the National Bank of Romania reserve were never returned, while most cultural goods came back in 1935 and 1956.¶ It calls on Russia to return the remainder without delay and on the Commission to help Romania explore legal avenues to secure the return.¶¶ It says Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine has changed the context for EU policy towards Russia, and the return could be put on a future agenda of resumed EU-Russia relations once Russia meets requirements for normalisation, including ending military activities in Ukraine and withdrawing its forces.¶
Key points
- Condemns the Russian Federation for illegally appropriating and wilfully withholding Romania's national treasure, in breach of the 1916 and 1917 protocols and legal guarantees of return.¶
- Stresses the numismatic and cultural value of the artefacts sent to Russia for safekeeping during the First World War; most cultural, artistic and archival goods were returned in 1935 and 1956.¶
- Notes that 91.5 tonnes of fine gold from the National Bank of Romania reserve were never returned, with a total value today of more than EUR 5.5 billion.
- Notes the 2003 Romanian-Russian Joint Commission of experts; regrets that its meetings, most recently in 2019, did not lead to agreement on the return.¶
- Notes that the Russian Federation, and the USSR before it, has never formally recognised that the treasure belongs to Romania and should be returned.
- Calls on Russia to return the remainder of Romania's national treasure, transferred in 1916 and 1917, in line with the signed protocols, without delay.¶
- Underlines that Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine has changed the context for EU policy towards Russia, including diplomatic relations.¶
- Notes the possibility of putting the call for the return on a future agenda of resumed EU-Russia relations once Russia meets requirements for normalisation, including ending military activities in Ukraine and withdrawing all forces from Ukraine's internationally recognised territory.
- Calls on the Commission to support the Romanian authorities in exploring legal avenues to ensure the return of the national treasure without delay.¶
Who is affected
- Russia: called on to return the remainder of Romania's national treasure without delay.¶
- Romania: its national treasure and National Bank gold reserve are the subject; its authorities are to be supported by the Commission.¶¶
- The Commission: asked to support Romanian authorities in exploring legal avenues for the return.
Figures and deadlines
- 91.5 tonnes of fine gold belonging to the National Bank of Romania reserve¶¶
- more than EUR 5.5 billion: total value today of the Romanian fine gold deposited in the Kremlin
- 1916 and 1917: years of the protocols and shipments of the treasure to Russia¶¶
- 1935 and 1956: years when the majority of cultural, artistic and archival goods were returned to Romania¶
- 2003: establishment of the Romanian-Russian Joint Commission¶
- 2019: most recent meeting of the Joint Commission
- 24 February 2022: start of Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine¶
Legal basis: Article 167 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union and Article 3(3) of the Treaty on European Union¶¶