Introduction to CITES

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Akankwasah Barirega, PhD
www.CITES.org
Introduction to CITES
Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and
Antiquities

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Overview
• How CITES began
• What is CITES
• How CITES works
• The benefits of CITES
• Partnerships
• Summary

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How CITES began

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Origins of CITES
• The 20th
century saw several attempts to bring trade
in wild species under some form of control for
conservation purposes
– London Convention Designed to Ensure the Conservation of Various
Species of Wild Animals in Africa which are Useful to Man or Inoffensive
(1900)
– the London Convention Relative to the Preservation of Fauna and Flora in
their Natural State (1933)
– Washington Convention on Nature Protection and Wild Life Preservation in
the Western Hemisphere (1940)
– Algiers African Convention on the Conservation of Nature and Natural
Resources (1968)
• None of these were sufficiently robust, visionary and
relevant to the global community

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Origins of 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
• Drafting started in 1964, and a first
draft was sent to 90 nations in 1967
• A second draft was prepared in 1969
• A third draft, with Appendices, was sent to 130
nations in 1971, with the option to sign the text as it
was, or to convene a meeting to conclude the text

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Origins of CITES
• Enough nations agreed to sign, but a meeting was
planned anyway to increase support and enhance
agreement
• A plenipotentiary conference was held in Washington
D.C. in 1973 with representatives from 80 countries,
and with 8 countries and 6 international organizations
attending as observers
• The delegates agreed on the final text of the
Convention, comprising the Preamble and the
25 Articles, and the creation of three species lists
(Appendices I, II and III) and a permit model
(Appendix IV)

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Origins of CITES
• The Swiss Government agreed to act as depositary
for the Convention
• Canada, Chile, Cyprus, Ecuador, Nigeria, Sweden,
Switzerland, Tunisia, the United States of America
and Uruguay were the first countries to ratify the
Convention
• CITES entered into force on
1 July 1975, 90 days after the
10th ratification
• Uganda became a party 16th
October 1991.

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What is CITES

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What is 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 concluded in Washington D.C.

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What is 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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What is CITES?
now 183
• CITES is relevant to a growing number of Parties

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

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

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

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

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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)

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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

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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

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How CITES works

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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
• CITES regulates international
trade on the basis of a system of
permits and certificates

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Global coverage
• 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

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The Appendices
• Species subject to CITES regulation are divided
amongst three Appendices
I
II
III

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The Appendices
Appendix I
– Species threatened with extinction
– International (commercial)
trade is generally prohibited
– Almost 530 animal species
and some 300 plant species
3%3%of global CITES tradeof global CITES trade

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The Appendices
Appendix II
– Species not threatened with extinction,
but trade must be controlled to
avoid their becoming threatened
– 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
92%92%of global CITES tradeof global CITES trade

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The 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)
– Some 160 animal species
and 10 plant species
5%5%of global CITES tradeof global CITES trade

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The 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

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

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Authorities
• 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

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Permits and certificates
• 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

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Permits and certificates
• There are special provisions for:
– Personal and household effects
– Pre-Convention specimens
– Captive-bred or artificially propagated specimens
– Scientific exchange
– Travelling exhibitions

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

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Permits and certificates
• There are four types of
CITES documents:
– Export permits
– Import permits
– Re-export certificates
– Other certificates

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Permits and certificates
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

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Permits and certificates
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

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Permits and certificates
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

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Permits and certificates
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

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Conference of the Parties
Standing
Committee
Secretariat
Plants
Committee
Animals
Committee
UNEP
UNEP-WCMC
IUCN
Structure
NGOs

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Conference of the
Parties
Management
Authority
Secretariat
Permanent
Committee
s
Guidance
UNEP-WCMC
IUCN
WCO,
Interpol
Officers in charge
of implementing
CITES
Recommendations
Structure
Scientific
Authority

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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

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

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• 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
National legislation

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How CITES works
Similar rules
and
regulations
Similar
requirements
Similar
authorities Similar
procedures
Similar
documents
COMMON
PROCEDURAL
MECHANISMS

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The benefits of
CITES

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The benefits of CITES
• Effective and consistent international
regulation of trade in wildlife for conservation
and sustainable useuse
• 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

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The benefits of CITES
• Regulated trade (effective and consistent)
• Science-based decisions
• Cooperation at multiple levels
• Conservation results
• Sustainable use of wildlife
• Towards a ’green’
certification?

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Partnerships

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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.

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

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

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Summary

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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

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Summary
• CITES regulates international trade in specimens of
species of wild fauna and flora listed in its
Appendices on the basis of a system of permits and
certificates which are issued only when certain
conditions are met, and which must be presented
when leaving AND entering a country
• For Appendix-I listed species, international trade is
generally prohibited
• For Appendix-II and –III listed species,
international trade is permitted but regulated

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Summary
• The Conference of the Parties adopts Resolutions
and Decisions to guide interpretation of the
Convention and to direct its activities and those of the
permanent committees and the Secretariat
• National legislation is required to implement the
Convention
• CITES is a powerful tool for achieving consistent
international regulation of trade in wildlife for
conservation and sustainable use

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Thank you!