Citing the facts surrounding the recent Rembrandt export licence application withdrawal, there has been a call by the head of the Art Fund to change the rules regarding cultural export controls in the United Kingdom.

Art Fund Director Stephen Deuchar refers to the process for obtaining an export licence as being run by way of “gentleman’s agreements”, open to abuse by wealthy (foreign) owners of national artistic treasures. Mr Deuchar’s comments were reported in The Sunday Telegraph and the article is partially available online here.