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What is CITES?
The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, also known as CITES, was enacted on 1 July 1975 (the full text of the Convention is available at: http://www.cites.org/eng/disc/text.shtml). It is an international agreement between 169 countries, and its purpose is to "ensure that international trade in specimens of wild animal and plants does not threaten their survival." ( www.cites.org)
Countries Party to CITES have voluntarily agreed to implement legislation, which conforms to the Framework of the Convention (for a complete listing of the governments who are Party to the Convention see: http://www.cites.org/eng/disc/parties/alphabet.shtml). This means that they must regulate the international trade of more than 30,000 animal and plant species– as well as objects made from these species (for a complete listing of all the types of species protected under CITES, see http://www.cites.org/eng/app/appendices.shtml). They do so by requiring permits for the export, re-export, import and introduction of the sea of these species or objects containing these species. Permit requirements differ for each country.
How Does CITES Impact Sales of Antiques?
Some antiques, especially antique furniture, traded internationally are constructed with materials, such as certain exotic woods or ivory amongst others, which are regulated by CITES. These antiques, if sold in a country Party to CITES, require a permit before they can be exported or imported.
For more information
For general information about the permit requirements outlined in the CITES Framework see: http://www.cites.org
More practical information regarding CITES can be obtained from the national trade associations which can be accesses through this website or from the CINOA secretariat.
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