CITES and the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, CITES, entered into force in 1975. The aim of the Convention is to protect certain plants and animals being threatened with extinction by regulating and monitoring their international trade to prevent it reaching unsustainable levels. The United Kingdom has been a Party to the Convention since 1976. 

In 1976 the Secretary of State for the Environment appointed the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, as the UK CITES Scientific Authority for Plants. The Joint Nature Conservation Committee is the UK Scientific Authority for animals. As the Scientific Authority, we provide the UK CITES Management Authority, the Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), with independent advice on scientific matters related to CITES and plants, including CITES permit applications and policy. We also carry out CITES projects and research into the trade in certain CITES-listed plants. 

For information on how CITES is implemented in the UK and its Overseas Territories, CITES licensing issues and species listed under CITES go to UK CITES Management Authority.

N.B.: If you have any further queries regarding CITES, please contact DEFRA.