CITES: A pillar of sustainable trade in wild species
The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), in effect since 1975, plays a key role in preserving global biodiversity. This intergovernmental agreement regulates the international trade of over 38,000 animal and plant species to ensure that trade does not threaten their survival.
The primary goal of CITES is to ensure that the trade of wild species is based on sustainable and traceable practices while contributing to their conservation. It applies to live specimens, dead specimens, and their parts and derivatives. The species involved are classified into three categories based on their threat level:
- Species threatened with extinction: trade is strictly prohibited.
- Vulnerable species, but still abundant: trade is regulated through specific permits.
- Species threatened in restricted areas: trade is monitored.
ach export or import requires a permit certifying the legality and sustainability of the trade, thus ensuring compliance with international standards.
The legal trade in species regulated by CITES generates billions of dollars annually. However, an illegal parallel trade, estimated between $7.8 and $20 billion per year, persists. This trafficking fuels poaching, accelerates the extinction of wild species, and deprives producing countries of their natural heritage.
European Union member states apply CITES through two key regulations:
- Regulation (EC) No. 338/97: the basic framework.
- Regulation (EC) No. 865/2006: the implementation rules.
These texts strengthen CITES provisions by introducing additional measures, such as a strict ban on certain specimens from specific countries. The recent update (EU Regulation 2025/6) introduces new import restrictions to further protect threatened species.
