Resolution Conf. 10.21 (Rev. CoP14)*
Transport of live specimens
CONSIDERING that the Convention, in Articles III, IV, V and VII, requires Management Authorities to be satisfied, before granting export permits, or re-export or travelling exhibition certificates, that specimens will be so prepared and shipped as to minimize the risk of injury, damage to health or cruel treatment;
NOTING that the revised version of the Guidelines for transport and preparation for shipment of live wild animals and plants, adopted by the Conference of the Parties at its second meeting (San José, 1979), has been communicated to all Parties;
MINDFUL of the fact that implementation of these Guidelines depends on action to be taken at the national level, and within international organizations and conferences competent to regulate conditions of carriage;
CONSIDERING that air transport is the preferred method for transporting many live animals and plants and that there are special requirements necessitated by air transport;
NOTING the extent to which, in the case of the transport of live animals, the Live Animals Regulations of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and, in the case of the transport of live plants IATA’s Perishable Cargo Regulations, are to be used for transport of live specimens and that the Live Animals Regulations and the Perishable Cargo Regulations are amended annually and are therefore more quickly responsive to changing needs;
WHEREAS Article XIV, paragraph 1, permits any Party to adopt stricter domestic measures for the regulation of trade in all species, whether or not listed in the Appendices;
NOTING that, while there have been improvements in the transport of live animals and plants, mortality for certain species has not been reduced significantly, despite continuing efforts by the Parties to improve transport conditions, and that trade-related mortality undermines the concept of sustainable trade;
MINDFUL that, because of a number of biological and other factors, some species are far more difficult to prepare and ship without risk of injury, damage to health or cruel treatment than others;
RECOGNIZING the important work of the Working Group on the Transport of Live Animals in advising the Parties and providing technical assistance in conjunction with the Secretariat;
RECOGNIZING the need to address the transport of all live specimens;
AGREEING that the effective implementation of Articles III, IV, V and VII of the Convention necessitates further specific evaluation of transportation issues, analysis of information and recommendations to the Parties for remedial or corrective action;
THE CONFERENCE OF THE PARTIES TO THE CONVENTION
DIRECTS the Animals and Plants Committees to deal with matters related to the transport of live specimens;
RECOMMENDS that:
a) suitable measures be taken by the Parties to promote the full and effective use by Management Authorities of the Live Animals Regulations (for animals) and the Perishable Cargo Regulations (for plants) for the preparation and transport of live specimens and that they be brought to the attention of exporters, importers, transport companies, carriers, freight forwarders, inspection authorities and international organizations and conferences competent to regulate conditions of carriage by air, land and sea or inland waterways;
b) Parties invite the above organizations and institutions to comment on and amplify the Live Animals Regulations (for animals) and the Perishable Cargo Regulations (for plants), so as to promote their effectiveness;
c) the regular communication of the CITES Secretariat and the Standing Committee with IATA’s Live Animals and Perishables Board and with the board of directors of the Animals Transportation Association (AATA) be continued and that a relationship with the International Animal Health Organisation (OIE) and the International Plants Protection Convention (IPPC) be developed;
d) for as long as the CITES Secretariat and the Standing Committee agree, the Live Animals Regulations (for animals) and the Perishable Cargo Regulations (for plants) be deemed to meet CITES air transport requirements;
e) where appropriate, the Live Animals Regulations (for animals) and the Perishable Cargo Regulations (for plants) be used as a reference to indicate suitable conditions for carriage by means other than air;
f) the Live Animals Regulations and the sections of the Perishable Cargo Regulations related to the transport of live plant specimens be incorporated into Parties’ domestic legislation or policies;
g) applicants for export permits or re-export or travelling exhibition certificates be notified that, as a condition of issuance, they are required to prepare and ship live specimens in accordance with the Live Animals Regulations and the Perishable Cargo Regulations;
h) in compliance with national laws and policies, shipments of live specimens be examined and necessary action taken to ensure the well-being of the specimens by CITES-designated persons or transport company personnel during extended holding periods at transfer points;
i) in compliance with national laws and policies where Parties to the Convention have designated ports of entry and exit, holding facilities for live animals and plants be provided; and
j) in compliance with national laws and policies, Parties ensure that animal- and plant-holding facilities are open for inspection of shipments, with the concurrence of the transport company, by CITES-designated enforcement personnel or designated observers; and that any documented information be made available to the appropriate authorities and transport companies;
DIRECTS the Animals and Plants Committees, in consultation with the Secretariat:
a) to participate in meetings of the Live Animals and Perishables Board of IATA in order to amplify or update the Live Animals Regulations and the Perishable Cargo Regulations;
b) to examine new or additional references for transport of live specimens for incorporation into the present Resolution, if appropriate;
c) to examine developments related to the transport of live plant specimens for incorporation into the present Resolution, if appropriate; and
d) to examine regularly high mortality shipments of live specimens and make recommendations to relevant Parties, exporters, importers and transport companies on how to avoid this in the future;
ENCOURAGES the Secretariat, Parties and relevant organizations to assist in the distribution and increase public awareness of the Live Animals Regulations and the Perishable Cargo Regulations;
INVITES non-governmental organizations, particularly veterinary, scientific, conservation, welfare and trade organizations with expertise in the shipment, preparation for shipment, transport, care or husbandry of live specimens, to provide the necessary financial, technical and other assistance to those Parties in need of and requesting such assistance to ensure the effective implementation of the provisions of the Convention for the transport and preparation for shipment of live specimens subject to international trade;
NOTES that in order to improve implementation of the Live Animals Regulations and the Perishable Cargo Regulations by the Parties, there is a need for greatly increased awareness of the Regulations through more effective methods of training of personnel of transport companies, exporters and enforcement agencies; and
REPEALS Resolution Conf. 9.23 (Fort Lauderdale, 1994) – Transport of Live Specimens.
* Amended at the 14th meeting of the Conference of the Parties.