A report released today in Budapest by TRAFFIC — Wildlife Trade in Central and Eastern Europe: A review of CITES implementation in 15 countries — acknowledges the efforts made by the ten countries which acceded in May 2004 (Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia) and the six countries that will join the EU in the near future (Bulgaria, Croatia, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia and Turkey) to stop illegal trade in wildlife. However, the report expresses concern over gaps in the legal systems that hinder the implementation of the EU´s regulations for controlling trade in protected animals and plants.
TRAFFIC — a joint programme of WWF and IUCN – The World Conservation Union — is urging Bulgaria and Romania, which are set to join the EU on 1 January 2007, to increase their efforts, and is urging current EU Member States to ensure that the issue is addressed strategically at the national and EU-wide level.

Central and Eastern Europe is home to a wide range of species that are rare or extinct in Western Europe, including the brown bear, wolf, lynx, saker falcon, etc.

The region has also traditionally played an important “transit” role for wildlife and wildlife products imported into the EU from around the world.

The control of illegal wildlife trade in the EU is particularly challenging as systematic controls only take place at the external borders. Once CITES-listed animal and plant species enter the EU they can be moved relatively freely. Between 2000 and 2004, countries such as Bulgaria and Romania reported no or only a very few seizures of wildlife products, while others reported relatively high numbers of illegal trade coming through these countries.

“Controls of wildlife trade into the EU are only as strong as its weakest border points, and these are quickly exploited by smugglers. The EU must ensure that all 27 EU Member States have the relevant capacity and expertise to tackle illegal wildlife trade” said Kecse-Nagy.

The report also noted the lack of consultation and coordination between the different agencies involved in controlling wildlife trade in many of the countries reviewed.

source: WWF

further info: http://www.traffic.org/

title picture by Andy Rouse

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