About Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora:
- CITES was adopted in 1973 and entered into force in 1975.
- It is a global agreement between 185 Parties (184 countries and the European Union) that regulates international trade in wild animals and plants.
- It aims to ensure that international trade in wild animals and plants is legal, sustainable and traceable, and does not threaten the survival of the species in the wild.
- Functions:
- CITES regulates international trade in specimens of species of wild animals and plants based on a system of permits and certificates issued under certain conditions.
- It covers export, re-export, import and landing from the high seas of live and dead animals and plants and their parts and derivatives, including any processed products.
- Although CITES is legally binding on the Parties – in other words, they have to implement the Convention–it does not take the place of national laws.
- CITES Secretariat: Geneva, Switzerland (administered by the United Nations Environment Programme )
- Representatives of CITES nations meet every two to three years at a Conference of the Parties (or COP) to review progress and adjust the lists of protected species, which are grouped into three categories with different levels of protection:
- Appendix I:
- It includes species threatened with extinction and provides the greatest level of protection, including a prohibition on commercial trade.
- Appendix II:
- It includes species that are not currently threatened with extinction but may become so without trade controls.
- Regulated trade is allowed if the exporting country issues a permit based on findings that the specimens were legally acquired and the trade will not be detrimental to the survival of the species or its role in the ecosystem.
- Appendix III:
- It includes species for which a country has asked other CITES parties to help control international trade.
- Trade in Appendix III species is regulated using CITES export permits (issued by the country that listed the species in Appendix III) and certificates of origin (issued by all other countries).
- Countries may list species for which they have domestic regulations in Appendix III at any time.
