No. 776                                   Geneva, 23 November 1993


CONCERNING:


                    A Law Enforcement Network


1.At  their recent meetings in Brussels in September, the  Animals
  and  Plants Committees discussed as an agenda item the formation
  of  a  body that would ensure that a forum exists for discussion
  of   matters  of  importance  concerning  enforcement   of   the
  Convention, but would not be established as a CITES committee or
  working group.

2.In  support of this idea, the Animals Committee, in consultation
  with the Secretariat, developed a proposal for the formation  of
  a  Law  Enforcement Consultative Group, composed of  enforcement
  officers  nominated  by  the Parties. Under  the  terms  of  the
  proposal, the Standing Committee would receive, from either  the
  Parties  or  any  of  the other permanent  CITES  Committees  or
  Working  Groups,  recommendations  concerning  issues  of  CITES
  enforcement  that  they  believe  should  be  addressed  by  the
  Consultative Group. After considering these recommendations, the
  Standing Committee would determine which issues were relevant to
  and  of  sufficient  priority for the work of  the  Consultative
  Group, which would then be co-ordinated by the Secretariat.

3.The  proposal  and terms of reference of the Consultative  Group
  (see  Annex) were endorsed by the Animals and Plants  Committees
  and   submitted   jointly   to  the  Standing   Committee,   for
  consideration  at its 30th meeting in Brussels.  However,  there
  was  not  adequate time for the Standing Committee  to  consider
  this matter.

4.In  correspondence to the Secretariat since the 30th meeting  of
  the  Standing Committee, the Chairman of the Standing  Committee
  and  the representative of that Committee for the North American
  region have indicated their support for the joint proposal. They
  have  also recommended that the name of the group be changed  to
  the  Law Enforcement Network, to reflect the group's flexibility
  in   assigning  teams  to  different  enforcement  issues.   The
  Secretariat agrees with the proposed name change for the  group,
  hereinafter referred to as the Network.

5.Subject to the comments from the Parties that may be received as
  a  result of this Notification, the decision whether to form the
  proposed  Network will be made either by the Standing  Committee
  at  its 31st meeting or by the Conference of the Parties at  its
  ninth meeting.

6.If  the  formation of the Network is approved,  the  Secretariat
  proposes to:

    +     send a Notification to the Parties and request from them
    the following information:

           +     the names of government law enforcement officials
     to  serve  as members of the Network and, for each name,  any
     particular area of enforcement expertise;

           +     issues  concerning enforcement that they  believe
     should be addressed by the Network;

    +     ask for information from the Chairmen of the Animals and
    Plants  Committees and the Transport Working Group  on  issues
    concerning  enforcement  of  the  Convention  that  should  be
    addressed by the Network;

    +    compile, from information provided by the Parties and the
    Chairmen  of  the  Animals  and  Plants  Committees  and   the
    Transport  Working  Group, a list  of  issues  that  could  be
    addressed by the Network, and submit this information, and the
    Secretariat's  recommendations, to the Standing Committee  for
    its consideration;

    +     draw  from the membership of the Network persons  to  be
    responsible  for working on specific enforcement issues,  once
    such issues have been identified by the Standing Committee;

    +     request  from  the  Parties  and  from  non-governmental
    organizations voluntary contributions to fund the work of  the
    Network; and

    +     convene  any necessary meeting of the Network, providing
    funding  is  available. Non-members of the  Network  would  be
    allowed to participate in its work, but only at the invitation
    of the Secretariat.

7.The  Secretariat invites the Parties to comment on the  proposal
  to establish the Network and on its proposed terms of reference,
  and  on the steps that the Secretariat suggests should be  taken
  if  the  Network is formed. Any comments from the Parties should
  be  received as soon as possible, and no later than  31  January
  1994.
            ESTABLISHMENT OF A LAW ENFORCEMENT NETWORK


Principles

A  Law  Enforcement  Network is established and  directed  by  the
Standing Committee to ensure that a forum exists for discussion of
matters of importance concerning enforcement of the Convention, so
that  they  can  be  addressed properly by  the  Parties,  through
consultations  with  experts in the field of enforcement  of  laws
relating to wild fauna and flora.

In forming this Network the Standing Committee should instruct the
Secretariat to seek external funding for its operation.

Terms of reference

The Law Enforcement Network shall:

i)act  at the direction of the Standing Committee on the basis  of
  recommendations made to the Standing Committee by  the  Parties,
  the  other  permanent  Committees  of  the  Convention  and  the
  Secretariat;

ii)  provide  advice and technical assistance to  the  Parties  on
  enforcement matters;

iii) fully co-ordinate its activities with the CITES Secretariat;

iv)   advise   on   the  establishment  of  effective   means   of
  communication of information between enforcement agencies;

v)prepare  recommendations on appropriate enforcement methods  for
  the detection and prevention of illegal trade in certain taxa;

vi)  evaluate  the  effectiveness of  enforcement  technology  and
  provide recommendations on its application; and

vii) report on its activities to the Standing Committee.