The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) (Washington) also known as the Washington Convention
Drafted in 1973 and entering into force on July 1, 1975, the treaty currently regulates and tracks the cross-border movement of over 40,900 species (roughly 34,300 plants and 6,600 animals). It functions via a strict, multi-tiered licensing and permit system managed directly by the governments of its 184 member parties.
b International Union for the Conservation of Nature
CITES does not ban all wildlife trade; instead, it categorizes species into three distinct legal lists based on their risk of extinction:
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Appendix I (Near-Total Commercial Ban): Includes species actively threatened with extinction that are heavily impacted by trade (e.g., all great whales, sea turtles, tigers, and certain elephants). International commercial trade of these specimens is strictly forbidden. It is only permitted under exceptional, non-commercial circumstances (such as scientific research) and requires both an import and export permit.
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Appendix II (Regulated & Traceable Trade): Includes species that are not necessarily facing immediate extinction but could become threatened if their trade is not strictly monitored (e.g., all stony corals, seahorses, and requiem sharks). Commercial trade is fully legal but requires a valid CITES Export Permit, verifying that the export will not harm the wild population’s survival.
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Appendix III (National Requests): Contains species listed unilaterally by an individual member country that already regulates the species domestically and needs international cooperation to prevent illegal exploitation and smuggling.
Because ecosystems evolve, member states meet every two to three years at a Conference of the Parties (CoP) to adapt the treaty’s legal text and species lists. Following the landmark CoP20 summit in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, comprehensive legal updates entered full force on March 5, 2026:
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Expanded Marine and Flora Protections: The 2026 appendices officially implement stricter international tracking and permit validation for vulnerable sharks, sea cucumbers, big cats, and highly targeted medicinal and aromatic plants.
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Targeting Evasion via Derivatives: The new rules tighten structural loopholes regarding “parts and derivatives”. Previously, smugglers attempted to bypass customs by processing endangered timbers or wildlife into consumer components before exporting. The current frameworks mandate strict CITES certification requirements regardless of processing status.
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Coordinated Enforcement Actions: Under the oversight of Secretary-General Ivonne Higuero and the International Consortium on Combating Wildlife Crime (ICCWC), global enforcement hit record milestones through Operation Thunder. This massive joint operation across 134 countries led to unprecedented seizures of protected raw timber, live reptiles, and poached animal products at international transport hubs.