CITES Calendar

Type
Title Venue & Date Details
Seventy-seventh meeting of the Standing Committee Geneva, Switzerland
06 - 10 November 2023

Agenda and documents
Procedure for media accreditation

CITES Asian Regional Training Seminar on Demand Reduction Strategies to Combat Illegal Trade in CITES-listed Species Singapore
10 - 11 October 2023

This training seminar is organized in accordance with Decision 19.55 on Demand reduction to combat illegal trade adopted by the Conference of the Parties to CITES at its 19th meeting (CoP19, Panama City, November 2022). The seminar aims to build capacity for CITES Parties in the Asian region and their partners in the use of the Guidance for CITES Parties to Develop and Implement Demand Reduction Strategies to Combat Illegal Trade in CITES‐listed Species, including the identification of priority species for pilot projects in each country, and to facilitate exchanges of experiences among Asian Parties and identify key partners within the country around the design and implementation of demand reduction strategies.

See the agenda.

CITES-ESCAP regional workshop on electronic CITES permitting systems in Asia (Hybrid) Bangkok, Thailand
17 - 18 July 2023

The objective of electronic CITES or eCITES permitting systems is to improve the implementation of the Convention by using modern Information and Communication Technologies to simplify compliant trade and to combat illegal trade. Implementation of these systems should not be considered as only implementing an ICT system. Rather, taking the opportunity to implement such systems, the Parties will be able to review the procedures for application, issuance, control and exchange of permit information. 

Interest for implementing the eCITES systems is gradually increasing across the CITES Parties. The objective of the workshop is to build the capacity of the representatives of CITES Management Authorities and other relevant agencies that are planning or interested in developing electronic CITES permitting systems or exchange electronic permit information. The workshop will deliberate on various guidance and tools available and discuss relevant issues that are considered challenging and need attention.

The workshop will be organized in a hybrid format. For online participation, please register here. Connection details will be shared upon registration. In-person attendees do not need to register online.

For practical information, see information note.

Programme Schedule        Workshop Presentations

CITES-ESCAP eCITES Bangkok Workshop (hybrid) - poster

Thirty-second meeting of the Animals Committee Geneva, Switzerland
19 - 23 June 2023
Twenty-sixth meeting of the Plants Committee Geneva, Switzerland
05 - 09 June 2023
CITES Big Cats Task Force meeting. Entebbe, Uganda
24 - 29 April 2023

The Task Force meeting is convened in accordance with Decision 19.92 on the CITES Big Cats Task Force, adopted at the 19th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to CITES (CoP19, Panama, 2022).

CITES Secretariat's Youth Webinar Microsoft Teams,
08 February 2023

CITES Youth Network - Webinar

February 8th 2023 | 15:00 Central European Time | Microsoft Teams

It is one of the Secretariat's goals to further youth* involvement in CITES. It is important that young people are represented within the Convention and it is particularly important that there is a mechanism in place by which the next generation has the opportunity to be informed and engaged in the work of CITES, so that they are equipped to take the Convention forward should they want to. The Convention being one of the world’s biggest conservation tool, it is a great place to see how multifaceted and complex conservation can be. 

More about CITES at cites.org, and at our Webinar. 


CITES Webinar on Youth

 

Webinar details and registration here: 

https://cites-youth-webinar.eventbrite.ch

 

 See you there!

 

 

 

Definition of Youth* :

The CITES network will be using the youth definition given by the United Nations, with our target audience thus being “persons between the ages of 15 and 24 years, without prejudice to other definitions by Member States.” If ever in doubt you can check what your country’s definition is, as it seems to vary.

Seventy-sixth meeting of the Standing Committee Panama City, Panama
25 November 2022

Agenda and documents
- Summary record

Implementation of e-permits: lessons learned and advancing towards an integrated digital solution for eCITES Canal 3, Panama City, Panama
21 November 2022

eCITES_side_event.png

The electronic CITES (eCITES) permitting systems can be understood in many ways depending on the type of solutions applied or planned in a particular context. The permitting systems could come in various forms ranging between only application and issuance of permits to a more advanced solution encompassing exchange of permit information between national authorities and CITES Parties. Various approaches for the implementation of these systems have been undertaken from which other Parties that are planning to implement eCITES, may learn important lessons.

At the same time, the technological development brings about new concepts that are evolving on a continuous basis globally. These new developments call for greater discussion and scrutiny for a more secure and efficient permitting systems. These emerging technologies could be utilized to develop legal, sustainable and traceable trade in CITES-listed species.

In this context, this side event aims to discuss the challenges of current practices for implementing the eCITES permitting systems as well as potential new technological advancements that can be useful in the ever-changing world of digitalization.

Access the meeting agenda here

ICCWC Vision 2030 - CoP19 Side Event PCC - América 3, Panama City, Panama
18 November 2022

With opening remarks from CITES Secretary-General and contributions from EU, UK, ICCWC partners executive heads and beneficiaries of ICCWC support.

Moderator: Barend Janse Van Rensburg – Chief, Enforcement Unit, CITES Secretariat 

12.15 - 14.00

  • Welcome and opening remarks: Ivonne Higuero, Secretary General, CITES; Jorge Rodriguez Romero, Head of Unit, European Commission, DG Environment; and Jamie Rendell, Head of UK Delegation 
  • ICCWC – Together against wildlife crime 
  • Over a decade of coordinated global support to the law-enforcement community
  • Success stories from beneficiaries of ICCWC support 
  • The ICCWC Vision 2030 and its Strategic Action Plan 2023-2026
  • Q&A