What is CITES

CITES or the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora is an international agreement between governments, which aims to ensure that international trade in specimens of wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival.

The Secretariat of CITES is located in Geneva, Switzerland.

Today, CITES accords varying degrees of protection to more than 35,000 species of animals and plants.

CITES is an international agreement to which states and regional economic integration organisations adhere voluntarily. So far, there are 183 ‘parties’ to CITES, with Sri Lanka joining in 1979. It is among the conservation agreements with the largest membership.

States that have agreed to be bound by the Convention ('joined' CITES) are known as Parties. Although CITES is legally binding on the Parties – they have to implement the Convention – it does not take the place of national laws. It provides a framework to be respected by each Party, which has to adopt its own domestic legislation to ensure that CITES is implemented at the national level.

Appendices I, II and III to the Convention are lists of species afforded different levels of protection from over-exploitation.

Appendix 1 -- Lists species that are the most endangered among CITES-listed animals and plants. They are threatened with extinction and CITES prohibits international trade in specimens of these species except when the purpose of the import is not commercial, for instance for scientific research. In these exceptional cases, trade may take place provided it is authorized by the granting of both an import permit and an export permit (or re-export certificate).

Appendix II -- Lists species that are not necessarily now threatened with extinction but that may become so, unless trade is closely controlled. It also includes so-called "look-alike species", i.e. species whose specimens in trade look like those of species listed for conservation reasons. International trade in specimens of Appendix- II species may be authorised by the granting of an export permit or re-export certificate. No import permit is necessary for these species under CITES.

Appendix III – Lists species included at the request of a Party that already regulates trade in the species and that needs the cooperation of other countries to prevent unsustainable or illegal exploitation. International trade in specimens of species listed in this is allowed only on presentation of the appropriate permits or certificates. Species may be added to or removed from Appendix I and II or moved between them, only by the CoP. But species may be added to or removed from Appendix III at any time and by any Party unilaterally.