Sotheby's and Christie's will be allowed to hold auction sales in France only in June 2001 as a result of a delay regarding the release of an official decree, it was learned on October 26th 2000. The decree will not be completed before November 15th 2000 and will have to be examined by the Justice Ministry in December and then cross examined by the Council of State meaning that it will only be published around February 2001.
A special committee will then have to be set up in order to give its approval regarding those foreign auction houses wishing to operate in France. At the very best, Sotheby's and Christie's would start to hold sales in May or June 2001.
French officials had promised that the reform of auction sales in France, delayed since 1993, would be implemented before the end of 2000. In 1995, Jacques Toubon, the then Culture minister, had stated that such reform would be carried out before the year 1998.
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