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EU joins int'l convention to fight against wildlife trafficking

Xinhua, July 8, 2015 Adjust font size:

The European Union (EU) has joined the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) in an effort to help fight against wildlife trafficking, announced the European Commission on Wednesday.

The aim of CITES is to ensure that international trade in specimens of wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival, as wildlife trafficking has reached unprecedented levels in recent years, explained the Commission in the press release.

"Joining CITES makes the EU a stronger global actor. Now the priority is to strengthen the Convention and the fight against wildlife trafficking," said the Commission.

Further to a public consultation launched in 2014, the European Commission services had started the preparatory work for an EU Action Plan against wildlife trafficking, for which the EU accession to CITES constitutes an important milestone, said the Commission.

"Joining the CITES Convention is a big step in the preparation of our action plan to step up the fight against wildlife trafficking. CITES is the best response the international community has in the fight against wildlife criminals and their illegal, unsustainable trade. It allows us to use the expertise gained in dismantling other illegal networks," said Karmenu Vella, European Commissioner for Environment, Fisheries and Maritime Affairs. Endit