No. 722                                 Lausanne, 19 February 1993


CONCERNING:


                              ITALY

   Suspension of the Recommendations of the Standing Committee


1.By  Notification  to the Parties No. 675 of 30  June  1992,  the
  Secretariat communicated the decision of the Standing Committee,
  made  at  its  28th meeting, to recommend to the  Parties,  with
  immediate effect, that they adopt stricter domestic measures  in
  accordance with Article XIV, paragraph 1, of the Convention,  in
  order:

              Ž            not  to  issue any CITES documents  for
         specimens consigned to Italy; and

              Ž           not to accept any CITES documents issued
         by Italy,

  until  this country demonstrated to the Standing Committee  that
  the  steps  necessary to ensure adequate implementation  of  the
  Convention had been taken.

2.As  Italy has made considerable progress and has to a very large
  extent  met  the requirements, the Secretariat has suggested  to
  the  Standing Committee that it suspend its recommendations with
  regard   to  Italy,  with  the  definitive  withdrawal  of   the
  recommendations remaining subject to:

         Ž     the  adoption  by  the Italian Parliament,  without
       changes  contrary to the provisions of the  Convention,  of
       the law-decree of 12 January 1993; and

         Ž     adequate application of the procedures adopted  for
       implementation of the Convention.

3.The   Standing   Committee  has  agreed  to  the   Secretariat's
  suggestion.  Therefore, the Secretariat is able  to  inform  the
  Parties  of  the  suspension,  with  immediate  effect,  of  the
  Committee's  recommendations expressed in  Notification  to  the
  Parties No. 675.

4.The Parties will be informed of any future decision.