Cites

CITES, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, is an international treaty that aims to ensure that international trade in wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival. It was opened for signature in 1973 in Washington, D.C., and entered into force on 1 July 1975. The treaty is administered by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and implemented by Parties through national laws and regulations.

Trade controls are organized into three Appendices. Appendix I lists species threatened with extinction and prohibits international commercial trade in most cases, allowing trade only under exceptional circumstances with both export and import permits. Appendix II covers species not necessarily threatened with extinction but likely to become so if trade is not controlled; export permits are required and trade is monitored. Appendix III includes species that a Party has asked others to regulate; international trade requires permits issued by the exporting country and, in some cases, the importing country.

CITES does not itself conserve species but provides a framework for regulating international trade to support conservation. It relies on permits, certificates, and documentation to enforce compliance. The majority of United Nations member states are Parties, and the Conference of the Parties (CoP) meets every two to three years to consider amendments to Appendices and adopt resolutions. The Secretariat is based in Geneva and operates under UNEP. While widely used, CITES faces enforcement and funding challenges and is most effective when supported by strong national capacities.