The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES, www.cites.org ) is an agreement among governments around the world. The Convention aims to ensure that international trade in specimens of wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival. Roughly 5,600 species of animals and 30,000 species of plants are protected by CITES against over-exploitation through international trade. Currently, CITES has 182 member Parties.
CITES is an international agreement to which States adhere voluntarily. Although CITES is legally binding on the Parties – in other words they have to implement the Convention – it does not take the place of national laws. Rather it provides a framework to be respected by each Party, which has to adopt its own domestic legislation to ensure that CITES is implemented at the national level.
Since Lao PDR became a member of CITES on 1 March 2004 and effective on 30 May 2004, numbers of regulations have been issued to control the trade of endangered wild animals and plants particularly the Notification on the Guidance to Implement the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species No. 1364/GO.ED, dated 19 August 2015 to control international trade on endangered species of wild animals and plants especially to strictly combat illegal ivory trade in Lao PDR and prohibit the trade of endangered aquatic animals, wild animals and plants under List I or Prohibited List of CITES.
In addition to that, the Customs instruction on the administration of goods import for re-export No. 00274/CD, dated 14 October 2015 also specifies that the import of animal products for re-export shall not be listed under the prohibit List of CITES.
Currently many sectors, especially Ministry of Natural Resource and Environment is drafting a specific regulation to control the trade of endangered aquatic animals, wild animals and plants effectively.
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