Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of ...

www.CITES.org 1

©©CCooppyyrriigghhttCCIITTEESSSSeeccrreettaarriiaatt22000055 Introduction to CITES

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
• Summary

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 30 years

5

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

6

CITES

…is relevant to an ever-increasing number of Parties

169

7

CITES

• CITES is an agreement between governments, to
ensure that wild fauna and flora in international trade
are not exploited unsustainably

8

CITES

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

9

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

10

Examples of trade - plants

• Orchids
• Cacti & succulents
• Bulbs (Snowdrops, Cyclamens)
• Medicinal plants
• Ornamental trees
• Timber species

11

Mapping CITES trade

Major exporting Major importing
areas areas

South America North America
Central America Europe

Africa East Asia
Asia

Major importing & exporting areas
Asia

Southern Africa
Middle East
Oceania

Eastern Europe

12

Popular perceptions of CITES

Perception of the public…

of Government…

and traders…

13

Misconceptions about CITES

• CITES deals with all aspects of wildlife conservation

– CITES deals only with international trade in certain
species included in its Appendices

• CITES aims to ban all wildlife trade

– CITES aims to regulate international trade (for some
species trade is highly restricted)

14

Misconceptions about CITES

• CITES regulates domestic trade

– CITES can only address international trade

• 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

15

Misconceptions about CITES

• 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

• The CITES Secretariat issues permits to authorize
trade in CITES specimens

- Permits are only issued by the Management Authority of
each Party to CITES

16

How CITES works

17

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

18

How CITES works

• This framework and common procedural mechanism is now used
by 169 countries (the Conference of the Parties) to regulate and
monitor international trade in wild resources

19

How CITES works

Conference of the Parties

Standing Animals
Committee Committee

Secretariat Plants
Committee
UNEP
Nomenclature
TRAFFIC Committee
IUCN
Other NGOs
UNEP-WCMC

How CITES works 20

Conference of the Permanent
Parties Committees

Recommendations Guidance Secretariat

Scientific Management WCO,
Authority Authority Interpol

Officers in charge TRAFFIC
of implementing IUCN

CITES UNEP-WCMC

21

The CITES Budget

• Contributions are paid by the Parties into a CITES
Trust Fund which is used to finance the budget

• Contributions are proportional and are calculated on
the basis of the UN scale of contributions

See Resolution Conf. 12.1,

• CITES 2005 budget = 4.480.000 US dollars

• The budget is used to finance:

– Meetings of the Conference of the Parties and the Permanent
Committees

– Basic services and activities, such as the trade database,
review of significant trade, capacity building

– The basic functioning of the Secretariat, such as staff salaries
and missions

22

The CITES Budget

• External Funding:

– 1 million US dollars raised on average per year in
addition to the Trust Fund

• External funding is used for projects:

– Technical Assistance to Parties

– Training Seminars, enforcement activities,
identification manual, publications, national
legislation activities

– Scientific Research

– Population studies

– Sponsored Delegates Project

23

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

79 Resolutions and 118 Decisions
are in effect

24

How CITES works

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

25

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

26

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)

27

How CITES works

• The Scientific Authority is responsible for
advising the Management Authority on non-
detriment findings and other scientific aspects
of implementation, and monitoring of national
trade

28

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

29

How CITES works MMiiccrrooccyyccaass ccaallooccoommaa
PPhhoottoo:: GG.. vvaa VVlliieett
Appendix I

– includes species threatened
with extinction

– International (commercial)
trade is generally prohibited

– Almost 530 animal species
and some 300 plant species

AAiilluurruuss ffuullggeennss

How CITES works 30

Appendix II DDiioonnaaeeaa mmuusscciippuullaa

– 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 TTuuppiinnaammbbiiss
and more than 28,000 plant
species

31

How CITES works

Appendix III

– includes species for which a
country is asking Parties to
help with its protection

– International trade is SSttrreeppttootteelliiaa sseemmiittoorrqquuaattaa ((PPhhoottoo:: PP.. DDoollliinnggeerr))
permitted but regulated
(less restrictive than
Appendix II)

– Some 255 animal species
and 7 plant species

32

How CITES works

• CITES regulates the export, re-export and import of
live and dead animals and plants and their parts and
derivatives (for 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-listed species, the most
important condition is that international trade in these
species must not be detrimental to their survival in
the wild

33

How CITES works

• There are special provisions for:

– Personal and household effects
– Pre-Convention specimens
– Captive-bred or artificially propagated specimens
– Scientific exchange
– Travelling exhibitions

34

How CITES works

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



36

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

37

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

38

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

39

How CITES works

Other certificates

• These are used for particular
cases such as:

– Captive-bred or artificially
propagated specimens

– Pre-Convention specimens
– Traveling exhibitions
– Introduction from the Sea
– Appendix III certificate of origin
– Labels for scientific exchange

40

How CITES works

Similar Similar Similar
requirements authorities procedures

Similar rules COMMON Similar
and PROCEDURAL documents
MECHANISMS
regulations

41

The benefits of
CITES

42

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

43

Partnerships

44

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.

45

Partnerships with Organisations

World Customs Interpol UNEP-World
Organization Conservation
Monitoring Centre
TRAFFIC Network
IUCN,
IUCN-SSC

46

Internal partnerships

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

47

CITES in the
region

48

CITES in the region

[add list of Parties, [add map]
non-Parties]



50

Summary

• CITES is an international agreement between
governments that ensures 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
the prevention of international trade in endangered
species, and for an effective regulation of
international trade in others