As CITES uses trade measures for its implementation, one recommendation for improving the effectiveness of the Convention is a temporary suspension of trade. Recommendations to suspend trade in specimens of CITES-listed species are made by the Conference of the Parties and the Standing Committee. A recommendation to suspend trade provides a period of time during which the relevant country can move from non-compliance to compliance by inter alia making progress in the enactment of adequate legislation, combating and reducing illegal trade, submitting missing annual reports or responding to specific recommendations of the Standing Committee concerning the implementation of Article IV of the Convention in the context of the Review of Significant Trade. Recommendations to suspend trade are withdrawn immediately upon a country’s return to compliance.
At the request of CITES Parties and to assist implementation of the Convention, the Secretariat has developed a table of recommendations to suspend trade that are currently in force. The table shows the countries affected by the recommendation, the Notification to the Parties containing the recommendation, the basis for the recommendation and scope of trade involved in the recommendation. Where appropriate, explanatory comments are provided.
(Last update: 27/03/2023)
Country Notification Basis Scope Valid from Afghanistan No. 2013/018 (17/05/2013) Annual reports All trade 17 May 2013 Belize No. 2023/034 (23/03/2023) Significant trade Myrmecophila tibicinis 15 June 2010 Benin No. 2023/034 (23/03/2023) Significant trade Pandinus imperator 2 May 2013 Chamaeleo gracilis 3 February 2016 Chamaeleo senegalensis 3 February 2016 Kinixys homeana 3 February 2016 Cameroon No. 2023/034 (23/03/2023) Significant trade Trioceros quadricornis 3 February 2016 Trioceros montium 6 May 2019 No. 2022/045 (08/06/2022) Compliance and enforcement - Article XIII Pterocarpus erinaceus 8 June 2022 Central African Republic No. 2022/045 (08/06/2022) Compliance and enforcement - Article XIII Pterocarpus erinaceus 08 June 2022 Chad No. 2022/045 (08/06/2022) Compliance and enforcement - Article XIII Pterocarpus erinaceus 08 June 2022 Côte d'Ivoire No. 2023/034 (23/03/2023) Significant trade Pericopsis elata 7 September 2012 Democratic Republic of the Congo No. 2023/034 (23/03/2023) Significant trade Poicephalus fuscicollis1 9 July 2001 No. 2022/017 (18/03/2022) Compliance and enforcement - Article XIII Psittacus erithacus 15 January 2016 No. 2018/082 (01/11/2018) Compliance and enforcement - Article XIII Manis spp. 1 November 2018 Djibouti No. 2011/010 (19/01/2011) National legislation All commercial trade 30 April 2004 No. 2018/015 (30/01/2018) Annual reports All trade 30 January 2018 Equatorial Guinea No. 2023/034 (23/03/2023) Significant trade Trioceros feae2 7 September 2012 Prunus africana 1 January 2009 Gambia No. 2022/045 (08/06/2022) Compliance and enforcement - Article XIII Pterocarpus erinaceus 08 June 2022 Ghana No. 2023/034 (23/03/2023) Significant trade Pandinus imperator 12 August 2014 Chamaeleo gracilis 3 February 2016 Chamaeleo senegalensis 3 February 2016 Grenada No. 2023/034 (23/03/2023) Significant trade Strombus gigas 12 May 2006 No. 2016/022 (16/03/2016) Annual reports All trade 16 March 2016 Guinea No. 2023/034 (23/03/2023) Significant trade Hippocampus algiricus 3 February 2016 No. 2022/023 (05/04/2022) Compliance and enforcement - Article XIII All commercial trade 16 May 2013 Guinea-Bissau No. 2022/045 (08/06/2022) Compliance and enforcement - Article XIII Pterocarpus erinaceus 08 June 2022 Haiti (Non-Party) No. 2023/034 (23/03/2023) Significant trade Strombus gigas 29 September 2003 Lao People's Democratic Republic No. 2023/034 (23/03/2023) Significant trade Dendrobium nobile 1 January 2009 No. 2022/030 (12/05/2022) Compliance and enforcement - Article XIII Dalbergia.spp 01 November 2018 Elephas maximus 10 March 2022 Liberia No. 2018/012 (22/01/2018) National legislation All commercial trade 15 March 2016 Libya No. 2022/033 (13/05/2022) Annual reports All trade 11 May 2022 Madagascar No. 2023/034 (23/03/2023) Significant trade Coracopsis vasa 20 January 1995 Furcifer labordi Phelsuma borai, P. gouldi, P. hoeschi and P. ravenala No. 2022/031 (12/05/2022) Species action plan Dalbergia.spp and Diospyros.spp (Population from Madagascar) 15 January 2016 Mali No. 2023/034 (23/03/2023) Significant trade Uromastyx dispar 22 August 2008 No. 2022/045 (08/06/2022) Compliance and enforcement - Article XIII Pterocarpus erinaceus 08 June 2022 Mexico No. 2023/037 (23/03/2023) Compliance and enforcement All commercial trade 27 March 2023 Mozambique No. 2023/034 (23/03/2023) Significant trade Smaug mossambicus3 7 September 2012 Cordylus tropidosternum 10 August 2001 Niger No. 2023/034 (23/03/2023) Significant trade Chamaeleo africanus 7 September 2012 Nigeria No. 2018/084 (01/11/2018) Compliance and enforcement - Article XIII Pterocarpus erinaceus 05 October 2018 Sao Tome and Principe No. 2022/038 (17/05/2022) National legislation All commercial trade 07 May 2022 No. 2022/034 (13/05/2022) Annual reports All trade 11 May 2022 Senegal No. 2023/034 (23/03/2023) Significant trade Hippocampus algiricus 3 February 2016 Solomon Islands No. 2023/034 (23/03/2023) Significant trade Corucia zebrata 9 July 2001 Ornithoptera priamus4 20 January 1995 Ornithoptera victoriae Tridacna derasa, T. crocea, T. gigas, T. maxima, T. squamosa, and T. noae5 3 February 2016 Somalia No. 2019/035 (04/07/2019) National legislation All commercial trade 30 July 2004 Togo No. 2023/034 (23/03/2023) Significant trade Poicephalus fuscicollis1 9 July 2001 Pandinus imperator 2 May 2013 No. 2022/045 (08/06/2022) Compliance and enforcement - Article XIII Pterocarpus erinaceus 08 June 2022 United Republic of Tanzania No. 2023/034 (23/03/2023) Significant trade Balearica regulorum 2 May 2013
1. Formerly Poicephalus robustus
2. Formerly Chamaeleo spp.
3. Formerly Cordylus mossambicus
4. Formerly Ornithoptera urvillanus
5. Split from Tridacna maxima at CoP17; includes T. ningaloo following CoP19
Note:
As can be seen in the table above, a country can be subject to several recommendations to suspend trade and these recommendations may be different in scope. For example, there may be a recommendation to suspend all trade in specimens of CITES species with a certain country, or all commercial trade in CITES species, or all trade in specimens of a particular species. In such cases, all of the recommendations should be taken into account by Management Authorities considering applications for permits or certificates.
The reason why there can be more than one trade suspension in place for a country is because there are several processes that can result in such a recommendation. The recommendations are made at different times, independently of each other, and each one remains in effect until the criteria for its withdrawal have been met.