WRITTEN QUESTION E-2101/01

by Erik Meijer (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(13 July 2001)

Subject: Trade in parrots and other exotic birds and banning the import of CITES-listed species

1. Is the Commission aware of the report in the New Scientist of 9 June 2001, which begins with the words The pet trade is driving parrots to extinction?

2. Is it aware that the report goes on to blame, inter alia, the European Community and its Member States for failing to implement laws that could stop the import of exotic birds taken illegally from the wild, notably parrots?

3. Does the Commission share my concern at the findings of research biologists who have discovered that 30 % of the nests of New World parrots are destroyed by poachers and that for four endangered species of parrot the figure was 70 %?

4. Does it further share my concern at the findings of a separate study, reported in the same article, that shows that the illegal trade in exotic birds flourishes largely as the result of the existence of a massive legal trade which provides it with a smokescreen behind which to hide?

5. Does the Commission agree that the European Union and its Member States should follow the example of the 1992 United States Wild Bird Conservation Act and ban completely the import of CITES-listed species?

Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission

(6 September 2001)

The Commission took notice of the article edited by the New Scientist of 9 June 2001 and reacted on 12 June by sending a letter to the editor reading as follows:

Your readers may be forgiven to gaining the impression from the article Sick as a parrot [http://www.newscientist.com/dailynews/news.jsp?id=ns9999836] that the European Union (EU) does not implement international agreements designed to regulate trade in parrots.

In fact the European Union legislation which implements the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) is amongst the most comprehensive of its kind in the world. This is despite the fact that the EU has been unable to become a Party to CITES because an insufficient number of existing CITES Parties have ratified an amendment to the treaty which would allow this to happen.

The vast majority of trade in parrots between Latin America and the EU is undertaken under quotas established by the countries of export themselves. EU Member States help to ensure that these quotas are respected by checking that each consignment is a proper part of the quota before the shipment is made. If we are not satisfied that the trade is at sustainable levels we can temporarily suspend import of certain species from certain countries. We have not hesitated to do this where necessary and then have worked with the exporting countries to help put things right.

We are always seeking to improve our controls and welcome suggestions from all quarters at any time. Regrettably the authors of the study quoted chose not to consult us before drawing their conclusions.

With regard to the question of an import ban for all species listed under CITES, the Commission would refer the Honourable Member to its answers to his Written Questions E-238/01, E-239/01, E-240/01(1) and E-1786/01(2) explaining the various aspects of the effectiveness of the Community legislation on trade in wildlife and its compliance with the principle of sustainable use of wildlife, the latter principle being considered a better solution for conservation of wildlife by many authorities worldwide.

(1) OJ C 261 E, 18.9.2001, p. 71.

(2) OJ C 40 E, 14.2.2002, p. 106.