EUROPE NEEDS TO RID ITSELF
OF ILLEGAL WILDLIFE PRODUCTS
Environmental Panorama
International
January of 2014
Posted on 15 January
2014 | WWF and TRAFFIC strongly support
today’s decision by the Plenary of the European
Parliament to adopt an EU Resolution on
Illegal Wildlife Crime.
WWF and TRAFFIC are
asking the EU Commission and Member States
to reinforce and fully implement existing
legislation at EU and national levels, improve
border controls, increase sanctions and
penalties for convicted traffickers and
strengthen intra-community co-operation
and communication between relevant agencies
such as Police and Customs to ensure that
no illicit wildlife products are traded
in the EU market.
“The Parliament has laid down a very strong
position to stop illegal wildlife products
coming into Europe and now Member States
cannot ignore the fact that every year tonnes
of wildlife plants and animals illegally
cross their borders,” said Tony Long, Director
at WWF's European Policy Office.
“Every time a rhino is killed in Africa,
its horn could be transiting Europe to reach
Vietnam inside 48 hours. European, African
and Asian countries must act together to
stop such illegal activity,” he added.
The EU should also join world leaders in
a common global effort to support range
countries to protect their endangered wildlife
while promoting campaigns in consumer countries
such as China, Thailand and Viet Nam to
stop the demand for illegal wildlife products
such as rhino horns, tiger bones and ivory.
The European Commission is expected soon
to release a new Communication on illegal
trade (including also timber and fisheries)
and to present it at an EU Conference in
April in Brussels.
“We also expect the European Commission
to follow the Parliaments’ Resolution in
their upcoming Communication on illegal
trade and work together with Members States
and other international partners to tackle
this crime effectively,” said Long.
“The European Parliament has sent a strong
message to the 28 Member States and to the
EU Commission to take wildlife crime seriously
and treat it as they would any serious crime,”
said Stephanie von Meibom, Director of TRAFFIC
in Europe.
“They have established a mandate for better
equipped Police and border Customs officers,
higher consistent penalties for traffickers
across the EU, and better collaboration
and communication among Member States to
protect wildlife and stop criminal trade.
It is imperative that all Members States
live up to their responsibilities to police
the wildlife trade: any point of weakness
will be targeted by those determined to
circumvent the law,” she added.
Source: WWF – World
Wildlife Foundation International
Press consultantship
All rights reserved
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