CITES

La Convention sur le commerce international des espèces de faune et de flore sauvages menacées d'extinction (CITES selon l'acronyme anglo-saxon : Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species) est un accord intergouvernemental signé le 3 mars 1973 à Washington. Il est aussi appelé « Convention de Washington ».


- Objectifs :


La CITES doit garantir que le commerce international des espèces inscrites dans ses annexes, ainsi que des parties et produits qui en sont issus, ne nuit pas à la conservation de la biodiversité et repose sur une utilisation durable des espèces sauvages.
À cette fin, la CITES fixe un cadre juridique et des procédures pour faire en sorte que les espèces sauvages faisant l'objet d'un commerce international ne soient pas surexploitées. La CITES met périodiquement à jour ses données du commerce international d'espèces protégées et les publie (Août 20101)
Site Web : http://www.cites.org/fra/index.php

SPOTLIGHT ON CITES


The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Fauna and Flora (CITES) is an international agreement signed in 1973.


The Convention regulates international trade of threatened and endangered animals (live or dead), animal parts, and plants. However, it is not an international agreement on the conservation of endangered species and does not prohibit killing endangered animals or require that nations protect habitat. The laws of an individual country determine whether it is legal to kill an animal or sell.


Under CITES, each protected species is assigned to one of three categories. Those listed in Appendix I are most vulnerable, and they may not be traded for commercial purposes. Species listed in Appendix II are less vulnerable but are still in need of protection from overexploitation.


They may be traded for commercial purposes, but their trade is strictly regulated. Export permits are required, and trade is not allowed to endanger the species’ survival.


Parties to CITES must agree to place a species on Appendix I or II. Decisions often are controversial, such as the decision to upgrade the elephant from Appendix II to Appendix I, prohibiting all trade of ivory. A single country may place a species on Appendix III, the least vulnerable category, when the country needs international assistance to restrict the market for that species.


Enforcement of trade restrictions has proven to be very difficult. The ease of obtaining falsified export permits, the clever ways wildlife can be smuggled, and the large volume of trade make illegal trade very difficult to regulate.