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<< Notifications of 1999

Notification to the Parties

No. 1999/92 Geneva, 30 November 1999

CONCERNING:

Monitoring of illegal trade in ivory

1. Resolution Conf. 10.10 calls for the establishment of an international system to monitor the illegal trade in ivory and the illegal hunting of elephants. It gives responsibility to the Standing Committee to supervise and direct the establishment of the system.

2. At its 40th meeting (3-6 March 1998, London, United Kingdom), the Standing Committee decided on the actions needed to make progress toward establishment of a monitoring system (see Notification to the Parties No. 1998/09 of 31 March 1998).

3. In relation to monitoring of illegal trade, the Conference of the Parties acknowledges in Resolution Conf. 10.10 that TRAFFIC International has already established a database to record information on seizures and confiscations of ivory. It recommends that this database be developed and refined. It also calls for all Parties to provide information on seizures and confiscations of ivory and other elephant products.

4. Attached is a copy of a reporting form, which Parties are requested to use to submit information on seizures of ivory and other elephant products ("Ivory and Elephant Product Seizure Data Collection Form"). This form, once completed, should be returned to the CITES Secretariat where any information of a sensitive or confidential nature will be extracted. The remaining data will be forwarded to TRAFFIC International, which will maintain, on behalf of the Secretariat, its revised database, now called the Elephant Trade Information System (ETIS). Additional information, gathered separately, will supplement the information on seizures and will enable greater in-depth monitoring and analysis of illicit trade. Also attached are explanatory notes for the completion of the form.

5. The form was first distributed with Notification to the Parties No. 1998/10 of 31 March 1998. The notes were first distributed with Notification to the Parties No. 1999/36 of 30 April 1999. Those Notifications are hereby cancelled.

6. The Secretariat has noted only a limited use of the data collection form, although it is aware of media reports of ivory seizures in various parts of the world. Such a poor response from Parties precludes the Secretariat from fully carrying out its responsibilities under decisions adopted at the 10th meeting of the Conference and the Parties.

7. Parties are, once again, encouraged to report all ivory and elephants product seizures to the Secretariat. It is emphasized that all reports should be sent to the Secretariat, so that aspects of confidentiality can be maintained. Relevant data only will be passed to TRAFFIC International.