CITES Trade Research

Research into trade in species that are listed on the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) or are potential candidates for such listing.

Map showing predominant countries in the international trade of cacti

This project reviews trade in species that are currently listed on CITES and/or the European Union Wildlife Trade Regulations or that are potential candidates for listing. The species selected for review may be based on issues arising when advising on applications to import or (re)export CITES listed species to and from the UK, concerns expressed by: Kew scientists or other experts; partners in overseas CITES Scientific Authorities; Non-Government Organisations; the CITES Scientific Review Group of the European Union; or the CITES Plants Committee. The reviews are carried out to inform decision making within the UK, the European Union, the CITES Plants Committee and meetings of the CITES Conference of the Parties.

Over this period trade reviews were carried out, inter alia, on groups of cycads, bulbs, orchids, plants used as extracts, succulents and trees traded for timber. Products of these reviews are short reports and core data for input into briefings for the UK CITES Authorities, the CITES Scientific Review Group of the European Union or the CITES Plants Committee.
Most important of these reviews was the review of trade in species of Ebonies (Diospyros spp.) and Rosewoods (Dalbergia spp.) in significant international trade from Madagascar. In co-operation with the CITES Authorities of Madagascar a review of taxa was carried out and a joint paper was submitted to the 19th meeting of the Plants Committee (PC). The paper included a suite of recommendations which was considered by the PC and a process established by which listing of a suite of taxa in trade might be achieved. In parallel with this process trade in selected taxa of succulent plants from Madagascar was also reviewed.

These projects make significant use of short term intern placements and would not be possible without them.

Key papers published since 2006

The majority of work produced in this project are briefing papers and are not formally published. For example;

• UK & Madagascar, (2011). Madagascar (Decision 15.97). Nineteenth Meeting of the Plants Committee, Geneva (Switzerland) 18-21 April 2011. PC19 Doc. 14.3.