CITES

CITES stands for the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. It is a treaty that entered into force in 1975 and became the only treaty to ensure that international trade in plants and animals does not threaten their survival in the wild. A State or country that has agreed to implement the Convention is called a Party to CITES, and currently, there are 184 Parties, including 183 member countries and the European Union.

The Conference of the Parties (COP) to CITES takes place every two to three years, and the 19th meeting of the CoP to CITES took place in Panama City, Panama, from November 14-25, 2022. The CoP is a decision-making body that reviews the implementation of CITES and makes recommendations to improve its effectiveness.

CITES aims to ensure that international trade in wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival in the wild. It does this by regulating the international trade in certain species of wild animals and plants through a system of permits and certificates. The species covered by CITES are listed in three appendices. Appendix I lists the most endangered species, and Appendix III lists species protected in at least one country that has asked other CITES Parties for assistance controlling the trade.

In summary, CITES is a treaty that regulates international trade in certain species of wild animals and plants to ensure that their survival in the wild is not threatened. Parties implement it to the Convention, and the Conference of the Parties (COP) to CITES is a decision-making body that reviews the implementation of CITES and makes recommendations to improve its effectiveness.