CITES

The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (short CITES, German Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) is both an agreement and an international organization that has the goal of international trade in wild animals and to control plants so far that survival is not at risk of wild animal and plant species. The Convention text of CITES, after the place of his Erstunterzeichnung on March 3, 1973 in Washington, DC also the CITES Convention ( WA) called.

The Secretariat of CITES has its headquarters in Geneva, it is managed by UNEP, the environmental program of the United Nations.

History

Trigger for the Convention was the realization that one of the main causes for the extinction of animal species, international trade in individual animals of these species or products derived from them (such as leather, natural medicines or food) is. Your predecessor, the London Endangered Species Act of 1933, which was signed by nine states was referring mainly to big game species in Africa ( 42 species). In 1964 already circulated a first draft for a broader agreement. IUCN since 1967 sent multiple drafts of the agreement of all Member States of the UN. 1971, the text was revised so far that 39 governments and 18 non-governmental organizations (NGOs ) agreed to the signing. The Stockholm Environment Conference in 1972 further contributed to the realization, so that the United States invited to the founding conference, which was attended by 80 states.

The Agreement, signed on 3 March 1973 Washington Convention entered for the first member countries on 1 July 1975 in force. The first five countries which have ratified the agreement, were the United States, Nigeria, Switzerland, Tunisia, Sweden. The first country of the European Community (EC ), which ratified the agreement, was the Federal Republic of Germany, namely 20 June 1976. The GDR had already been half a year previously signed. The Convention applies (as of October 2013) for 179 countries. Are applicable to the EC because of the internal market tightened guidelines for enforcement of the Agreement.

The international agreements regulating trade in endangered animals and plants and the products produced from them. The agreements are settled three lists of threatened or endangered with extinction. About 8,000 animal and 40,000 plant species are under protection.

The agreement was signed on 22 June 1979 in Bonn (Bonn amendment to Article XI) and revised on April 30, 1983 in Gaborone ( Gaborone amendment Article XXI ); not all participants have adopted these amendments.

Regulatory content

The Convention regulates or prohibits trade in protected animal and plant species. The inputs and exports are made under strict control. The trade in products of protected animals, such as ivory, caviar, tortoiseshell or prepared ( " stuffed " ) animals, subject to the same regulations.

The seizures are usually made by the customs ( in Germany by the Federal Customs Administration). Be confiscated mainly in plants, inter alia, cacti and orchids, in animals including snails, mussels, reptiles and corals.

Implementation and enforcement

The execution of the Agreement shall be in Germany as a rule by the Federal Agency for Nature Conservation, in Austria by the Ministry of Environment ( exact name currently Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Environment and Water Management) and in Switzerland by the Federal Office of Food Safety and Veterinary Office ( BLV ) and the Federal Office for Agriculture ( BLW ).

The implementation of CITES in the European Union is governed inter alia by the EU Wildlife Trade Regulation. In Germany, the EU Wildlife Trade Regulation will be extended and intensified by the Federal Species Protection Ordinance.

Attachments

The agreement contains three appendices:

  • Appendix I: He lists the immediately threatened species and prohibits trade with them. These species include, for example, all species of whales, all sea turtles, several species of monkeys, some bear and cat species, certain parrots, birds of prey, owls and cranes, various tortoises and crocodiles, several species of snakes and various cacti and orchids.
  • Annex II: Here vulnerable species are listed anywhere; there are export and import licenses, and the proof of the harmlessness of the stock necessary. This includes, inter alia, all the monkeys, bears, cats, birds of prey, all the other tortoises including Greek tortoises, monitor lizards and crocodiles, as well as all orchids, cactus and cyclamen unless they are already protected under Annex I.
  • Annex III: This includes all animal and plant species that are subject to special provisions in individual countries.

Committee Meeting

At regular meetings of representatives of the signatory States (Conference of the Parties ) the applicable regulations will be reviewed and submitted requests for more trade restrictions.

15th meeting in Doha in 2010

At the 15th meeting of the Conference of the States ( CoP15 ) in Doha, Qatar, from 13 - 25th March 2010, attracted more than 2,000 delegates from 175 countries. Participants were able to agree either on a short-term ban on trade in bluefin tuna until the stocks have recovered, even on a trade ban with polar bear fur or the protection of various species of sharks such as hammerhead and dogfish, some products under the names Schillerlocke, veal fish, sea eel or Seestör are commercially available in Europe. The proposal for a ban on trade of endangered species hammerhead shark and spiny dogfish brought Sweden and Palau one together. The Society for Nature Conservation Germany called for a common EU approach among others in the enforcement of the protection of tuna. According to the Nature Conservation Germany 80 percent of Atlantic bluefin tuna in Japan for Sushi or Sashimi. For Auctions on the Tokyo fish market Tsukiji individual specimens would achieve sale prices of up to 100,000 euros. A ban on trade in the flesh of the porbeagle was only decided on the last day of the conference but withdrawn again. The trade ban on ivory was extended.

16th session in Bangkok in 2013

From the 3rd to March 14th, 2013 - the 40th anniversary of the Washington Convention - the 16th CITES Conference was held in Bangkok, attended by over 2,000 delegates from 177 countries attended Acclaimed topics were among other things the protection of elephants and rhinoceroses before the massive increase in poaching, the protection of endangered shark species, the polar bear, rare tropical woods and some amphibians and reptiles.

The elephant and rhino poaching increased in recent years with an increase of about 5000 % in rhino poaching, with record levels of illegal hunting of elephants as well as with increasing professionalization and militarization of the poachers so far at unprecedented levels. The stock of many shark species is especially threatened by the growing wealth in some Asian countries, where shark fin soup is considered a delicacy and its consumption as a status symbol. The trade in sharks fall this year up to 100 million animals for sacrifice, driving some species to the brink of extinction. Germany sat at the conference of the signatory states ( COP16 ), therefore, among other things, the inclusion of porbeagle in Annex II of the Agreement. Support was found inter alia by the delegations from the U.S., Brazil, Colombia and Egypt, which in turn campaigning for a shot of some shark species such as the oceanic whitetip sharks, hammerheads and some different species of skates such as the manta rays. Despite the massive resistance of China and Japan porbeagle, oceanic whitetip, three hammerhead and manta rays were taken with a clear two-thirds majority in Annex II of the endangered species convention. They may thus be traded only under strict conditions, for example, must come from sustainably fished stocks.

The results obtained on the COP16 be seen by stakeholders as well as conservation organizations overall a great success for species conservation.

191135
de