UGGC & Associés legal counsel to the Ministry of Culture for the Yves Saint Laurent / Pierre Bergé auction.

On Monday, 23 February 2009, the Judge ruling in summary proceedings at Paris County dismissed the claim filed by a Chinese association contesting that some Chinese bronze statues could be sold in the sale by auction of the Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé collection. The claim of the APACE (Association for the protection of Chinese art in Europe) requesting that the Ministry of Culture uses its pre-emptive right and purchases these two Chinese works of art was dismissed. With this pre-emptive right, the State enjoys a discretionary right to purchase an item once the last bid has been placed. This right is not an obligation that the State could be forced to comply with by any jurisdiction whatsoever. The Ministry of Culture was represented by Jean-François Canat, partner of UGGC & Associés.