www CITES org 1 Introduction to CITES Copyright

www. CITES. org 1 Introduction to CITES © Copyright CITES Secretariat 2005 Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora

2 Overview • What is CITES? • How CITES works • The benefits of CITES • Partnerships • CITES in the region

3 What is CITES?

4 CITES • CITES is the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora • It is also known as the Washington Convention, as it was signed in Washington D. C. • CITES was signed on 3 March 1973, and entered into force on 1 July 1975 …in operation for 35 years

5 CITES Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora

6 CITES • CITES was ‘born’ from a resolution adopted by the eighth General Assembly of IUCN held in Nairobi in 1963, which expressed concern about the wildlife trade and called for a mechanism to regulate this trade • The drafting of the text started in 1964, and after several worldwide consultations the final text was adopted in Washington in 1973 • It has now become one of the largest conservation oriented Conventions

7 CITES …is relevant to an ever-increasing number of Parties 175

8 Parties 175 Non Parties 23

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

11 Examples of trade - animals • Primates • Hunting trophies • Birds of prey • Parrots & parakeets • Crocodilians • Snakes & lizards • Turtles & tortoises • Live aquarium specimens • Food fishes • Spiders & butterflies • Molluscs & corals

12 Examples of trade - plants • Orchids • Cacti & succulents • Bulbs (Snowdrops, Cyclamens) • Medicinal plants • Ornamental trees • Timber species

13 Mapping CITES trade Major exporting areas South America Central America Africa South east Asia Major importing & exporting areas Asia Southern Africa Middle East Oceania Eastern Europe Major importing areas North America Western Europe East Asia

14 Popular perceptions of CITES Perception of the public… of Government… and traders…

15 Misconceptions about CITES • CITES deals with all aspects of wildlife conservation – CITES deals only with international trade in certain species included in its Appendices Cheetah App. ( I ) Dik-Dik Peregrine Falcon App. ( I ) Peacock Chimpanzee App. ( I ) Grey parrot App. ( II ) Burchell’s Zebra Saiga antelope App. ( II ) Giraffe Lesser kudu

16 Misconceptions about CITES • CITES aims to ban all wildlife trade – CITES aims to regulate international trade. Barbary Sheep App. ( II ) Dorcas Gazelle App. ( III ) Blue vanda App. ( II ) Blue and gold macaw App. ( II ) Grey parrot App. ( II ) Hatchet cacti App. ( II )

17 (for some species trade is highly restricted) Blue Whale App. I Gorilla App. I Wood’s Cycad App. I Javan Rhino App. I Tiger App. I African Elephant App. I / II Green Turtle App. I

Misconceptions about CITES 18 • CITES regulates domestic trade – CITES can only address international trade Brown Bear Ursus arctos App. I / II Wolf Canis lupus App. I / II Common otter Lutra lutra App. I The Contracting States, Recognizing that peoples and States are and should be the best protectors of their own wild fauna and flora;

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Misconceptions about CITES 21 The CITES Appendices are a listing of the world’s endangered species – The Appendices only list those species that are or may be affected by international trade European bison Arabian tahr Bottle palm

Misconceptions about CITES 22 • CITES imposes trade restrictions on developing countries – Both producer and consumer countries have responsibility for conserving and managing resources; CITES creates the means for international cooperation and decision-making

Misconceptions about CITES 23 • The CITES Secretariat issues permits to authorize trade in CITES specimens - Permits are only issued by the Management Authority of each Party to CITES

24 How CITES works

25 How CITES Works The text of the convention consists of 25 articles covers number of subjects like: (Regulation of Trade in Specimens of Species included in Appendices, Permits and Certificates, Measures to be Taken by the Parties, Management and Scientific Authorities, Conference of the Parties, The Secretariat, Accession …. etc) The convention has three appendices contain names of the Fauna and flora subjected to the convention.

26 How CITES Works • The Convention establishes an international legal framework with common procedural mechanisms for the prevention of international commercial trade in endangered species, and for an effective regulation of international trade in others

27 CITES regulates the export, re-export and import of live and dead animals and plants and their parts and derivatives (for listed species only)

28 CITES regulates the international trade through a system of permits and certificates, Which may only be issued if certain conditions are met and which must be presented when leaving or entering a country

30 For Appendix I and II-listed species, the most important condition is that international trade in these species must not be detrimental to their survival in the wild How many bird I can export without a detrimental effect on their survival in wild? How many bird do I have of this specie?

31 How CITES works This framework and common procedural mechanism is now used by 175 countries (the Conference of the Parties) to regulate and monitor international trade in wild resources

33 How CITES works Conference of the Parties Recommendations Scientific Authority Guidance Management Authority Officers in charge of implementing CITES Permanent Committees Secretariat WCO, Interpol TRAFFIC IUCN UNEP-WCMC

36 How CITES works 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 82 Resolutions and 150 Decisions are in effect

37 How CITES works • The Convention and its Appendices are legally binding, but national legislation is required to apply its provisions

38 How CITES works • National legislation to implement CITES must, at the very least: – designate a Management Authority and a Scientific Authority – prohibit trade in specimens in violation of the Convention – penalize such trade – allow for confiscation of specimens illegally traded or possessed

39 How CITES works • The Management Authority is responsible for the administrative aspects of implementation (legislation, permits, annual and biennial reports on trade, communication with other CITES agencies)

40 How CITES works • The Scientific Authority is responsible for advising the Management Authority on nondetriment findings and other scientific aspects of implementation, and monitoring of national trade

41 How CITES works • Species subject to CITES regulation are divided amongst three Appendices – The Conference of the Parties is the only body that can decide on the contents of Appendices I and II – Any proposal to amend these two Appendices requires a two-thirds majority of voting Parties for it to be adopted – Only Parties may propose amendments to the Appendices

42 How CITES works Microcycas calocoma Photo: G. va Vliet Appendix I – includes species threatened with extinction – International (commercial) trade is generally prohibited Ailurus fulgens – Almost 530 animal species and some 300 plant species

43 How CITES works Dionaea muscipula Appendix II – includes species not necessarily threatened with extinction, but for which trade must be controlled to avoid their becoming threatened – includes species that resemble species already included in Appendix I or II – International trade is permitted but regulated – More than 4, 400 animal species and more than 28, 000 plant species Tupinambis

44 How CITES works Appendix III – includes species for which a country is asking Parties to help with its protection – International trade is permitted but regulated (less restrictive than Appendix II) – Some 255 animal species and 7 plant species Streptotelia semitorquata (Photo: P. Dollinger)

45 How CITES works • There are special provisions for: – Personal and household effects – Pre-Convention specimens – Transit and trans-shipment – Captive-bred or artificially propagated specimens – Scientific exchange – Travelling exhibitions

46 How CITES works • CITES documents are standardized for: • Format • Language & terminology • Information • Duration of validity • Issuance procedures • Clearance procedures

47 How CITES works • There are four types of CITES documents: – Export permits – Import permits – Re-export certificates – Other certificates

48 How CITES works Export permits • Export permits can only be issued by the Management Authority, provided the Scientific Authority has advised that the proposed export will not be detrimental to the survival of the species • The Management Authority must be satisfied that the specimen was legally obtained • The Management Authority must be satisfied that living specimens will be prepared and shipped in a manner that will minimize the risk of injury, damage to health or cruel treatment

49 How CITES works Import permits • (Applies only to specimens of Appendix-I species) • Import permits can only be issued by the Management Authority, when the Scientific Authority has advised that the proposed import will be for purposes that are not detrimental to the survival of the species • Note: by taking stricter domestic measures a number of Parties (e. g. the member States of the European Union) also require import documents for specimens of Appendix II species

50 How CITES works Re-export certificates • Re-export certificates may only be issued by the Management Authority, and only when that authority is satisfied that the specimens have been imported in accordance with the provisions of the Convention

53 The benefits of CITES

54 The benefits of CITES • Effective and consistent international regulation of trade in wildlife for conservation and sustainable use • International cooperation on trade and conservation, legislation and enforcement, resource management, conservation science • Participation as a global player in managing and conserving wildlife at the international level

55 Partnerships

56 Partnerships with Conventions • CITES collaborates directly with a number of Conventions, such as: – Convention on Biological Diversity – Basel Convention – Ramsar – Convention on Migratory Species – International Convention on the Regulation of Whaling • This collaboration can involve Resolutions and Decisions of the Conference of the Parties, joint work activities, etc. • Collaboration can be across common areas of work, such as joint Customs training, enforcement, streamlining annual reporting, harmonization of legislation etc.

57 Partnerships with Organisations World Customs Organization Interpol UNEP-World Conservation Monitoring Centre TRAFFIC Network IUCN, IUCN -SSC

58 Internal partnerships • Inter-agency cooperation and partnerships at the national level are also important – CITES Authorities – Customs – Police – Judiciary – Resource sectors

59 CITES in the region

60 CITES in the region 1999 Non-Parties Turkmenistan 2000 1992 Iraq 2008 1996 Uzbekistan 1997 1998 1996 Non party 2003 Non party 1976