B4-0473, 0478, 0479, 0506, 0516, 0532, 0545 and 0557/97

Resolution on the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES)

The European Parliament,

- having regard to the tenth Conference of the Parties to CITES from 9 to 20 June 1997 in Harare, Zimbabwe,

- having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 338/97 of 9 December 1996 ((OJ L 61, 3.3.1997, p.1)) on the protection of species of wild fauna and flora by regulating trade therein,

- having regard to the highly critical report of the CITES Secretariat on the implementation of the convention within the European Union (Doc 9.23),

- having regard to Resolution Conf. 9.8 on enforcement,

- having regard to resolution 9.13 of the Parties to the 1994 CITES Conference on the conservation of tigers,

A. aware of the importance of a worldwide Convention for the regulation of trade in endangered species in order to avoid over-exploitation,

B. whereas it has not yet been possible to achieve for all the species concerned the general objective of the Convention, namely to limit the transfrontier trade in specimens of endangered species of fauna and flora to an environmentally acceptable level,

C. whereas the non-sustainable exploitation of wild species, the destruction of habitats and the illegal trade in endangered species are the main causes of the impoverishment of the Earth's biodiversity,

D. whereas a large part of the international trade in specimens of these species, valued at US$ 3 to 5 billion annually, takes place illegally,

E. whereas in the last fifty years three of the eight sub-species of tiger, the Bali, the Caspian and the Javan, have already been driven to extinction and the surviving populations of the species have declined sharply within the last five years, particularly in India, where two thirds of the remaining world tiger population live,

F. whereas China is the biggest producer of medicine derived from tiger body parts and a considerable amount of tiger medicine is still being sold in China; whereas all CITES parties, and especially range states, are urged to work with traditional medicines communities and carry out awareness campaigns to eliminate the consumption of tiger body parts and derivatives,

G. whereas despite the tiger being listed in Appendix I of CITES and international commercial trade in tiger parts and their derivatives being prohibited, illegal trade in tiger specimens has escalated,

H. whereas ultimately it is only the Parties to CITES which can stop the illegal trade in tigers and their parts and help conserve the world's remaining tigers,

I. whereas the elephant population of Africa has been severely diminished as a result of the extensive illegal hunting carried out with a view to supplying the main ivory markets of Europe, the United States and the Far East, despite the fact that all trade in elephant products was banned by the CITES Convention in 1989,

J. whereas in Harare a number of African countries intend to propose the removal of the ban on elephant products and to start trading in ivory in the near future,

K. whereas at the current tenth meeting of the Conference of Parties to CITES in Harare (Zimbabwe) various proposals are due to be discussed, the adoption or rejection of which will be significant for the further development of the Convention,

L. concerned that some of the proposals before the conference for downlisting certain populations of disputed species could lead to a revival of international trade and an increase in poaching in parts of their range,

M. having regard to the widespread criticism of the application of CITES in the European Union, which focused on the need to replace Regulation (EEC) No. 3626/82 on the implementation in the Community of the Convention on international trade in endangered species of wild fauna and flora ((OJ L 384, 31.12.1982, p. 1.)),

N. welcoming the campaign which was launched by the Commission and the World Wide Fund for Nature to inform the European public about the new European Regulation to control trade in endangered species and to raise awareness of the importance of species conservation by regulating trade therein,

1. Calls on the Member States of the European Union to take the necessary measures to implement this new Regulation as soon and as effectively as possible; urges every Party to the Convention to establish adequate implementing and controlling authorities; requests every Party to increase penalties so that they are commensurate with the potential profits of illegal activities and act as an effective deterrent;

2. Calls on the parties to CITES to strengthen collaboration for the implementation of the Convention by exchanging know-how between the Parties and by providing additional financial support for training and technical assistance;

3. Calls on the states which have not yet acceded to the CITES Convention to do so without delay;

4. Calls on the Parties to CITES to introduce and implement appropriate measures in order to sanction those Parties which have not taken positive steps to establish adequate legislation for the implementation of CITES; proposes that where there is a territorial conflict between man and elephants, as where available farmland is being destroyed by elephants, national, regional and local authorities should solve these problems in an acceptable way;

5. Urges all CITES Parties, as a matter of urgency, to implement fully the recommendations adopted at the ninth meeting of the Conference of the Parties in Resolution Conf. 9.13 and to reaffirm their commitment to do so during the tenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties in Harare;

6. Urges all CITES parties to adopt legislation for the protection of all tiger subspecies and all tiger parts, products and derivatives including provision that any product claiming to contain tiger parts, whether it does or not, is a recognisable tiger derivative and therefore subject to CITES Appendix I provisions;

7. Urges all CITES Parties to enact and implement comprehensive domestic trade prohibition for tiger products and tiger derivatives and significantly increase resources for enforcement of trade prohibition legislation;

8. Urges the Indian Prime Minister, at the re-convening of the Indian Board for Wildlife under his chairmanship, to enact an emergency action plan in cooperation with the Chief Ministers of the States;

9. Urges the parties not to accept the proposals from Botswana, Namibia and Zimbabwe to downlist the African elephant; is also against the downlisting proposed for South African white rhinos, South American vicunas and Cuban Caretta turtles;

10. Calls on the Presidency of the Council and the delegations of the Member States at the current tenth conference of the Parties to CITES in particular to achieve the goal of sustainable use of wild species of fauna and flora under the Convention solely through the adoption of ecologically based and precautionary criteria for the application of Article IV of the Convention;

11. Calls on the Presidency of the Council and the delegations of the Member States to support the adoption of Doc. 10.75 which would make it possible to implement the comprehensive measures to reduce mortality during transport of delicate species, measures which have been lacking since 1992 and which were supported again in resolution Conf. 9.23 (1994);

12. Requests the European Union to support community-based natural resource management, rural communities and sustainable use of these natural resources;

13. Calls on the Parties to CITES, the Commission and the Member States of the European Union to give their support to countries which have been able to improve the conservation status of species of wild fauna and flora;

14. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission and the Parties to CITES.