Revision of the EU action plan against wildlife trafficking

Summary:

Communication adopted by the European Commission on 9 November 2022, revising the European Union's Action Plan aimed at bringing illegal wildlife trade to an end.

Further information:

This revised Action Plan aims to guide EU action against wildlife trafficking in the period until 2027. It builds on the 2016 Action Plan, and its seeks to respond to existing challenges in a comprehensive way. While the focus of the document is on wildlife trafficking, it makes necessary links with the EU Wildlife Trade Regulations and other related policies.

The Action Plan is structured around four main priorities:

• Preventing wildlife trafficking and addressing its root causes;
• Strengthening the legal and policy framework against wildlife trafficking;
• Enforcing regulations and policies to fight wildlife trafficking effectively;
• Strengthening the global partnership of source, consumer and transit countries against wildlife trafficking.

The revision of this Action Plan was first announced in the 2020 Biodiversity Strategy. It was eventually adopted by the European Commission on 9 November 2022.

Official

EUR-LEX: SWD(2022)354: Staff Working Document accompanying the Communication - Evaluation of the EU action plan against wildlife trafficking https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/ALL/?uri=SWD:2022:354:FIN

EUR-LEX: SWD(2022)355: Staff Working Document accompanying the Communication - Executive Summary of the Evaluation of the EU action plan against wildlife trafficking https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/ALL/?uri=SWD:2022:355:FIN

European Commission: Press Release, 10/10/2022: Biodiversity: Stronger measures against wildlife trafficking https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_22_6538

European Commission: Questions and Answers on the EU Action Plan against wildlife trafficking (10 November 2022) https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/qanda_22_6581

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Commentary and Analysis

World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF): News, 10/10/2022: Commission boosts fight against wildlife trafficking ahead of crucial international meeting https://www.wwf.eu/?8075941/Commission-boosts-fight-against-wildlife-trafficking-ahead-of-crucial-international-meeting

International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW): Press Release, 10/10/2022: The EU launches new Action Plan to fight wildlife trafficking https://www.ifaw.org/international/press-releases/the-eu-launches-new-action-plan-to-fight-wildlife-trafficking

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