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CITES e-permitting and Single Windows
Single Window Conference, 2015Brazzaville, Congo
CITES Secretariat
1. What is CITES?
2. Why e-permitting and Single Windows?
3. How – CITES e-permitting approach
Today’s talk
CITES: conservation and trade
“CITES stands at the intersection between
trade, environment and development,
… ensures that no species in international trade is
threatened with extinction”
(Outcome document Rio+20)
• Over 35,000 species* are regulated by CITES
• Species listed on 3 Appendices
How CITES works
* Live, dead, parts, and derivatives
Appendix 1International commercial trade is generally prohibited
Appendix 2 + 3International commercial trade is allowed but regulated
How CITES works
3% of species
• A multi billion-dollar business• Parties issue
>1 million permitsper annum
97% of species
Essentials of CITES regulation
• Trade must be legal
• Trade must be sustainable
• Trade must be traceable– CITES Permits and Certificates
(common standards)
– Trade must be reported (CITES Trade Database)
(CITES “Model export permit”, Annex 2, Resolution Conf. 12.3)
CITES interest in e-permitting
• CITES permits and certificates representeda mature, stable, universally recognized and adopted system
• BUT… a number of developments were impacting on this environment
Increasing volume of CITES trade
Over 15 million trade records (CITES Trade Database)
Increasing use of information technology
Global trends:‘paperless’ trade & Single Window
Customs processing
Increasing e-commerce
Increasing scale of illicit wildlife trade
Illegal wildlife trade
• Increasing scale – USD 20-100 million per year for illicitly-traded wildlife and forest products
• Changing nature – an organized, transnational crime with criminal networks involved
• Both outside and within CITES regulatory system
CITES response
• CoP13 (2004) – long-term strategy for CITES e-permitting through a phased approach
• Aiming for multiple benefits– Simplified, more efficient permit processes
– Improved security, less opportunities for false permits
– Improved service to applicants
– Improved monitoring of trade
– Improved reporting
CITES e-permitting approach
Develop e-permitting
Toolkit
Align to international standards
Promote use of Toolkit
Investigate central registry for e-permit data
Convene CITES Working Group on e-permitting
Update CITES ‘policy’ to reflect e-permitting
TO
OLS
GO
VE
RN
AN
CE
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Promote integration with SWE
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e-permitting Toolkit
• Establishes commonstandards and CITES e-permitting ‘data model’
– Describes CITES businessprocesses
– Common information exchange processes
– XML schemas
– Security & digital signatures
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https://cites.org/eng/prog/e/toolkit/
Alignment to international standards
• CITES e-permitting harmonized with:
– WCO Data Model
– UN/CEFACT Core Component Library
– UN/CEFACT Codes for Trade
– Single Window environments (section 3.5)
• Integration with the ASYCUDA World System is underway
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Promoting use of e-permitting
• CITES MAs of Switzerland and UK pilot project on use of CITES electronic systems
• ACTO is working with CITES Secretariat to implement CITES e-permitting among Member Countries
(€10 million project)
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Promoting use of e-permitting
• Work with the Air Transport Association (IATA) on e-freight project delivered by carriers, forwarders and Customs
• Aims to eliminate the need for all paper documents inair cargo shipments
• Discussing integration of CITES e-permitting
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Illegal wildlife trade uses legal transport routes – ivory trade
TRAFFIC assessment of ETIS seizure data, data reported to 65th meeting of CITES Standing Committee
Promoting use of e-permitting
• Funding proposal developed to offer LDCs a CITES e-permitting out-of-the-box solution
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Support inclusion of CITES e-permit systems in Single Windows
• ? 35% of Parties developing e-permitting systems
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CITES Party interest in e-permitting
Netherlands
Kenya
Support inclusion of CITES e-permit systems in Single Windows
• ? 35% of Parties developing e-permitting systems
• Many countries also developing or expanding Single Windows
• Capitalize on opportunities to dematerialize CITES permits for inclusion in Single Windows
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Example: Mexico
• CITES e-permitting integrated in Single Window Facility for Mexican Foreign Trade (VUCEM)
• From 1 June 2015 CITES MA adopted amended permit issuance procedures (e.g. e-signature)
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Example: Mozambique
• SGS is supporting Mozambique to expand its Single Window more government agencies
• Potential for CITES MA to get support to dematerialize CITES permit data for inclusion
• Opportunity to ‘kick-start’ CITES e-permitting
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Central registry for CITES e-permits
• Enables full electronic system paperless trade
• Party-to-Party verification and revision of CITES permit information
• Bilateral efforts - France and Switzerland,CITES and Customs making CITES business process fully electronic
• ASYCUDA World - CITESmodule and registry
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CITES e-permitting Working Group
• Parties:
Brazil, Belarus, Canada, Czech Republic, France, Guatemala, Japan, Monaco, Philippines, Portugal, Singapore, South Africa, Switzerland (Chair), Thailand, United Kingdom, United States and Viet Nam
• Observers: UNCTAD, UNEP-WCMC, WCO
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CITES Resolution 12.3
• Originally drafted with assumption that all permits would be paper – standard permit form
• Revised to accommodate electronic permits and digital signatures
• Recognizes importance of continued alignment to international standards
• Recommends Parties consider use of e-permits
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Emerging issue: traceability
• Many CoP Decisions related to traceability
• Discussing the development of a global track-and-trace umbrella framework for wildlife
• Ultimately interested in a global standard for traceability of wildlife under UN/CEFACT
• Selected traceability identifier can then be integrated into CITES e-permitting system
Including CITES in Single Windows?
• Reach out to CITES MA to discuss – dematerialization of CITES permits – inclusion of CITES e-permitting in Single Window
• CITES Secretariat takes a coordination role and can help facilitate liaison with CITES MAs
• Primary CITES contact:
Marcos Regis SilvaChief, Knowledge Management & Outreach
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Thank you