EU moves to end ivory exports, as 30,000 African elephants are poached each year
New guidance adopted on the EU rules governing ivory trade could end the export of old raw ivory as of 1 July. Despite an international ivory ban, elephant poaching and ivory trafficking have reached record levels.
The European Commission on Wednesday adopted new measures that will help to prevent that legal ivory trade fuels international ivory trafficking, which has risen significantly over the last decade.
According to the European Commission, the legal export of old ivory items from the EU to Asia has risen since 2012 to a level where it could fuel the global demand for ivory and be used as a cover for illegal ivory trade. In particular ivory tusks, which represent the largest share of trafficked ivory.
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The guidance document adopted by the European Commission is recommending that, as of 1 July 2017, EU Member States stop issuing export documents for raw ivory. This translates to an end of raw ivory export, except for scientific and educational specimen. The guidance document, produced in close collaboration with the Member States, also sets out that the latter should interpret rules strictly when authorising other trade in ivory ensuring that the ivory items are of legal origin.
“Fighting international ivory trafficking is a battle we can’t afford to lose. By ending the export of ivory tusks and other raw ivory we are living up to our responsibility. And we are delivering on the next commitment in our Action Plan against wildlife trafficking. Our financial support for developing countries will strengthen their capacity to implement the CITES Convention. This is essential to achieve progress in the fight against poaching and for sustainable wildlife trade,” Commissioner for Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, Karmenu Vella said.
The European Commission will also grant new financial support of € 2.25 million to the Secretariat of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) to help with the implementation of the decisions on international wildlife trade. In the coming months, the Commission will gather data and consult with stakeholders and the public to see if further restrictions on ivory trade are necessary.
It is estimated that between 20,000 and 30,000 African elephants are poached every year. Ivory seizures amount to more than 40 tonnes in 2015. The rising demand for ivory products in Asia is one of the main reasons for this surge in trafficking.
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