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Introduction to CITES

CITES Secretariat

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• CITES is the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora

• CITES was signed on 3 March 1973, and entered into force on 1 July 1975

CITES has been in operation for almost 40 years

CITES

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CITES

• The purpose of CITES is to ensure that wild fauna and flora in international trade are not exploited unsustainably

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CITES

• CITES is an international convention that combines wildlife and trade themes with a legally binding instrument for achieving conservation and sustainable use objectives

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CITES

• The Convention establishes an international legal framework together with common procedural mechanisms for the strictest control of international commercial trade in species threatened with extinction, and for an effective regulation of international trade in others

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CITES

• This framework and common procedural mechanism are now used by 180 countries to regulate and monitor international trade in listed species

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CITES Text

• The text of the Convention outlines the basic provisions for trade and obligations of each Party, including:

– Trade procedures and requirements

– Enforcement measures

– Trade facilitation

– Exemptions and special procedures

– Marking

– Confiscations

– Reporting

– Trade with non-Parties

– Amendment of the Appendices

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Resolutions and Decisions

• The Conference of the Parties adopts Resolutions to guide the interpretation and implementation of the Convention, and Decisions to provide specific short-term time-bound instructions

• 89 Resolutions and 196 Decisions are in effect

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• Species subject to CITES regulation are divided amongst three Appendices

"Species" means any species, subspecies, or geographically separate population thereof

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CITES Appendices

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CITES Appendices

Appendix I– Species threatened with

extinction, which are or may be affected by trade

– International (commercial) trade in wild-taken specimens is generally prohibited

– 625 animal species and 301 plant species

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CITES Appendices

Appendix II– Species not necessarily

threatened with extinction, but for which trade must be controlled to avoid their becoming so, and species that resemble species already included in Appendix II

– International trade is permitted but regulated

– 4685 animal species and 29105 plant species (97% of all listings)

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CITES Appendices

Appendix III– Species for which a country is

asking Parties to help with its protection

– International trade is permitted but regulated (less restrictive than Appendix II)

– 147 animal species and 119 plant species

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Species in trade

• Not all listed species appear in trade

– Of the 34,782 listed species, some 3,680 animal species and 9,577 plant species have appeared in trade during 2004-2008

– Of these, 11,076 species appeared in 100 or fewer shipments worldwide during this period

– Overall, 157 animal species and 1,878 plant species accounted for 90% of CITES transactions during this period

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CITES Appendices

• The Appendices require careful interpretation

– Species listings can be annotated to specify:• the inclusion or exclusion of designated geographically

separate populations, subspecies, species, groups of species, or higher taxa, which may include export quotas; and

• the types of specimens or export quotas

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• Parts and derivatives are always included for species in Appendix I, and for animal species in Appendix II

• Annotations to the listings for plants in Appendix II, and for Appendix III species, determine which parts and derivatives are included (The Parties have agreed that for plant species included in Appendix II, the absence of an annotation relating to that species indicates that all readily recognizable parts and derivatives are included)

Parts and derivatives

Appendix I Appendix II Appendix III

Animal parts and derivatives

Always included

Always included

Included if specified

Plant parts and derivatives

Always included

Included if specified

Included if specified

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CITES Permits and Certificates

• CITES regulates the export, re-export, import and introduction from the sea of live and dead animals and plants and their parts and derivatives (listed species only) through a system of permits and certificates

• These permits or certificates may only be issued if certain conditions are met and which must be presented when leaving or entering a country

• For Appendix I and II species, the most important conditions are legal acquisition and that international trade must not be detrimental to their survival in the wild

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Collaboration and cooperation

• Collaboration and cooperation at the national level are essential for CITES implementation

– CITES Authorities

– Resource sectors

– Customs

– Police

– Judiciary

– Affected stakeholders, including the private sector

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How CITES works

Similar rules and

regulations

Similar trade requirements

Similar authorities Similar

procedures

Similar documents

COMMON PROCEDURAL MECHANISMS

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Conference of the Parties

Standing Committee

Secretariat

Plants Committee

Animals Committee

UNEP

CITES Structure

FAO / IGOsNGOs

private sectoretc.

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Conference of the Parties

Management Authority

Secretariat

Permanent Committee

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Guidance

Other MEAsUNEP-WCMC

WCOICPO-Interpol

ITTO, FAOIUCN

Other IGOsNGOs

Private sector

Officers in charge of implementing

CITES

Recommendations

CITES Structure

Scientific Authority

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Trade with non-Parties

• Where export or re-export is to, or import is from, a non-Party, comparable documentation issued by the competent authorities which substantially conforms with CITES requirements for permits and certificates may be accepted

• Parties accept documentation from States not party to the Convention only if the details of the competent authorities and scientific institutions of such States are included in the online CITES Directory

• This also applies to specimens in transit destined for or coming from non-Parties

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Summary

• CITES is an international agreement between governments aimed at ensuring that no species of wild fauna or flora is unsustainably exploited for international trade

• The Convention establishes the international legal framework and common procedural mechanisms for an effective regulation of international trade in Appendix-II and -III species, and for the strictest control of international trade in Appendix-I species

• Inter-agency and inter-sector collaboration is essential for the effective implementation of CITES

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Summary

• CITES regulates international trade in wild fauna and flora listed in its Appendices on the basis of a system of permits and certificates which are issued when certain conditions are met, and which must be presented when leaving and entering a country

• For Appendix-II and –III species, international trade is permitted but regulated, and for Appendix-I species, international (commercial) trade in wild-taken specimens is generally prohibited

• The Conference of the Parties is the ultimate decision-making body in CITES

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Trade should be legal, sustainable and traceable

Legal trade can be beneficial for conservation of wild species, and for livelihoods

Illegal trade can pose a serious risk to the conservation of wild species

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CITES SecretariatGeneva

www.cites.org