Notification to the Parties

CONCERNING:

Workshop on economic incentives and trade policy

1. Decision 12.22 on Economic incentives and trade policy, adopted at the 12th meeting of the Conference of the Parties, directs the CITES Secretariat, in collaboration with the Parties that wish to participate, and with other organizations, to organize a technical workshop on wildlife trade policies and economic incentives.

2. This workshop will be held in Geneva (Switzerland) from 1 to 3 December 2003 at the following address:

International Environment House
Chemin des Anémones
1219 Châtelaine, Geneva – Switzerland.

3. Participants should note that the working language of the meeting will be English only. There will be no interpretation.

4. In view of the specialised nature of the workshop, the Secretariat respectfully suggests that any Party wishing to be represented at the meeting should nominate as its representative a person who is knowledgeable about the economic aspects of wildlife conservation, or an experienced member of a national CITES Management Authority responsible for wildlife policy-making.

5. The purpose of the workshop is to prepare proposals for a practical methodology for designing, implementing and assessing national wildlife trade policies on the one hand and for identifying and implementing targeted economic incentives in the context of those policies on the other hand. The findings of the workshop will be submitted for consideration at the 50th meeting of the Standing Committee (Geneva, 15 to 19 March 2004).

6. Any Party wishing to be represented at the workshop should provide the details of its designated representative to the Secretariat as soon as possible, but preferably no later than 24 October 2003. The information should preferably be provided by email to the following address: maritza.campos@unep.ch.

7. It should be noted that there are no funds available to support the participation of any Party unless it has already been informed of such support. All participants are responsible for obtaining any visas that may be required and for the costs involved.

8. Parties interested to receive details of the programme of the workshop are invited to contact the Secretariat.