Greece, Cyprus and Italy want to block “unlawfully removed” antiquities from being put on offer at London auction and art houses. Athens wants to use Brexit to boost its campaign for the return of the Elgin Marbles from the British Museum in the capital. Brussels will take its member state’s side in the long-running dispute over the 2,500-year-old sculptures, which were removed by British diplomat Lord Elgin from the Parthenon temple in the early 19th century.

The move comes as EU ambassadors harden the language in Michel Barnier’s draft negotiating mandate.

Following a series of diplomatic meetings in the Belgian capital, the bloc added the need to “address issues relating to the return or restitution of unlawfully removed cultural objects to their countries of origin” to the document.

EU officials have confirmed the latest demand’s link to the ongoing row, which could see Greece’s 200-year claim on the Elgin Marbles become a condition of any future free-trade agreement with Britain.

Last month Greece claimed Britain’s departure from the EU has furthered its cause for the marbles’ return.

Culture minister Lina Mendoni said: “It is the mentality that has changed, the fact that Britain is distancing itself from the European family, it is 200 years since the Greek revolution.

“I think the right conditions have been created for their permanent return.”

A British Museum spokesman said: “The British Museum welcomes this mandate and is committed to fighting the trade in illicit antiquities across the world. 

“We work in partnership with law enforcement agencies to identify and help to return objects that come into the UK illegally. 

“The Parthenon Sculptures were legally acquired and help us to tell the story of human history presented at the Museum. They are accessible to the six million global visitors the Museum receives each year.”

A UK Government spokesman said: “The EU is still finalising its mandate – this is currently in draft.

“The UK’s position on the Parthenon Sculptures remains unchanged – they are the legal responsibility of the British Museum. That is not up for discussion as part of our trade negotiations.”

A Government source added: “This is just not happening. And this stunt shows a troubling lack of seriousness about the negotiations on the EU side.”

The bloc’s top diplomats are scheduled to finalise their negotiating plans on Wednesday ahead of formal negotiations, that are due to start at the beginning of next month.

Member states have made significant changes to the original mandate that was published earlier this month.

Their hardened negotiating position reflects a growing list of demands as each capital attempts to add their own touches to the dossier.

Swathes of new additions to Mr Barnier’s mandate include toughened language on fisheries, asylum cooperation and Spain’s claim to Gibraltar.

In the latest draft, seen by Express.co.uk, the bloc has called for a block on Britain returning asylum seekers to the EU unless a separate agreement is reached.

EU sources have suggested this could be used as a bargaining chip to secure access for EU fishermen to British waters.

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As the deadly coronavirus outbreak continues to spread, Brussels has insisted on a new section to the text on combating pandemics.

The EU and UK should “aim to cooperate in international fora on prevention, detection, preparation for and response to established and emerging threats to health security,” the guidelines say.

And in the row over whether Britain should continue to follow the EU’s rules on state aid, taxation, environment and workers’ rights, the bloc has called for a “a level playing field that will stand the test of time”.

Mr Barnier today hinted the bloc would reject the Government’s attempts to seal a Canada-style deal unless it signed up to swathes of EU rules.

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Ahead of a meeting in the EU Parliament, the Brussels bureaucrat said: “We have proposed a trade agreement with a country that has a very particular and unique close geographical proximity  not like Canada, not like South Korea and not like Japan. Very particular.

“We are ready to propose and work very quickly with Britain on the basis of the political declaration which was agreed with  Boris Johnson.

“We stand ready to propose this agreement , if the UK wants it.”

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