Notification to the Parties

CONCERNING:

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

Partial withdrawal of recommendation to suspend trade

1. Notification to the Parties No. 2001/079 of 20 November 2001 conveyed a recommendation of the Standing Committee that all Parties should refuse any import of specimens of CITES-listed species from and any export or re-export of such specimens to the United Arab Emirates until further notice, because it was evident that the Convention was not adequately implemented there.

2. Since that time, the United Arab Emirates has made great progress towards putting into place the legislative and operational measures necessary to ensure correct implementation of CITES. This progress was reviewed at the 46th meeting of the Standing Committee (Geneva, 12 to 15 March 2002).

3. As a result, the Standing Committee agreed that its recommendation to Parties to suspend trade in specimens of CITES species with the United Arab Emirates would be withdrawn in three phases, as follows:

Phase 1: With regard to trade for non-commercial purposes other than movements of live birds of prey, the recommended suspension is withdrawn immediately.

Phase 2: With regard to trade in live birds of prey for non-commercial purposes, the recommended suspension shall be withdrawn when the registration of birds of prey is complete and this has been verified by the Secretariat.

Phase 3: With regard to commercial trade, the recommended suspension shall be reconsidered at the 47th meeting of the Standing Committee.

4. During the discussion of this issue, clarification was sought on what should be understood by the term ‘non-commercial’. It was noted that the general principles to be applied should be those provided in connection with the import of specimens of Appendix-I species in Resolution Conf. 5.10 (Definition of ‘primarily commercial purposes’). Moreover, since the issue of concern is the controls that are applied in the United Arab Emirates, it should be clear that the matter of whether or not a proposed transaction is commercial relates only to the purpose or nature of the transaction in the United Arab Emirates.