The German government and sixteen states approved reforms to help heirs of Jewish collectors recover Nazi-looted art, reports The Art Newspaper. Most importantly, a binding arbitration was established to replace the current advisory commission, which has no legal authority to enforce its recommendations. The changes will allow Germany to better meet its commitments under the Washington Principles, the country’s culture minister says.

The 25-year-old Washington Principles were reinforced earlier this month by a new “best practices” agreement signed by 22 countries and presented in Washington by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken. The “best practices” specify that claimants should have access to national panels that adjudicate cases without requiring the current holder’s consent.

See the article in The Art Newspaper for more information.