Considerations on COM(2004)529 - Proposal for a Council Decision - Proposal for a Council Decision on the EC position to be adopted on certain proposals submitted to the 13th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), Bangkok, Thailand, 2 - 14 October 2004 - Main contents
Please note
This page contains a limited version of this dossier in the EU Monitor.
| dossier | COM(2004)529 - Proposal for a Council Decision - Proposal for a Council Decision on the EC position to be adopted on certain proposals ... |
|---|---|
| document | COM(2004)529  |
| date | July 29, 2004 |
(2) proposals for Resolutions of the Conference of the Parties and amendments to the Appendices of the Convention will, in most cases, affect the Community legislation concerned;
(3) in such circumstances where Community rules have been established for the attainment of the objectives of the Treaty, the Member States cannot outside the framework of the Community institutions assume obligations which might affect those rules or alter their scope;
(4) the Community has not yet been able to become a contracting party to the Convention;
(5) in such circumstances the Community position should be represented by the Member States acting jointly in the Community interest and within the framework of a common position decided by the Council,
HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:
Article 1
The position of the Community, to be represented by the Member States, acting jointly in the Community interest, at the 13th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, shall be in accordance with the positions contained in the Annexes to this Decision.
Article 2
Where the position referred to in Article 1 is likely to be affected by new scientific or technical information presented before or during the meeting of the Conference of the Parties or where proposals are made in matters not yet the subject of a Community position, a position shall be established on the proposal concerned through on the spot co-ordination before the Conference of the Parties is called to vote on it.
Done at Brussels,
For the Council
The President
ANNEX I
To Council Decision of ...............2004 concerning the Community Position to be adopted on key issues to be discussed at the 13th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), Bangkok, Thailand 2 - 14 October 2004
A. General considerations
1. The Community's position on proposals for amendment of the appendices should be based on the conservation status of the species concerned. It should take account of the contribution that CITES controls can make towards improvement of the conservation status, while acknowledging the efforts of those countries that have implemented effective conservation measures.
2. The Community should also ensure that the decisions taken at the Conference maximise the efficiency of CITES by minimising unnecessary administrate burdens by achieving practical and workable solutions to implementation problems and by ensuring that Parties' resources are directed towards issues of real conservation concern.
3. The Community should seek to achieve greater synergies with other Multilateral Environmental Agreements concerning Biodiversity, such as the Convention on Biological Diversity. The decisions taken at the Conference should contribute to the achievement of target endorsed by the World Summit on Sustainable Development and the Convention on Biological Diversity of halting global decline in biological diversity by 2010.
B. Specific issues
1. Concerning commercial whaling, no decision should be taken that undermines the primacy of the International Whaling Commission on this matter. Consequently, there should be no return to commercial whaling until the IWC deems that the appropriate management controls are in place and separate decisions have been taken by the IWC on the resumption of commercial whaling. Concerning the Irrawaddy dolphin, the Community will support proportionate measures to better regulate trade in live specimens.
2. Concerning elephants, the Community is unwilling to agree to resumption in commercial ivory trade until it is satisfied that there are adequate mechanisms in place to ensure that there will be no resulting increase in illegal killing of elephants.
3. Concerning the African lion, the Community is not fully convinced that Appendix I listing of this species is the best means to address the problems concerning its conservation. The Community will work to achieve an outcome on this issue that will have the support of all range States.
4. Concerning the management and conservation of great white shark, humphead wrasse and European date mussel, the Community is favourably disposed towards measures for stricter regulation of international trade
5. Concerning ramin, the Community supports Indonesia's proposal for Appendix II listing of this group of species in order to help combat its illegal logging in range States.
ANNEX II
To Council Decision of .............2004 on the Community position to be adopted on certain proposals submitted to the 13th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).
Bangkok, Thailand, 2 - 14 October 2004
+ indicates a position in favour // - indicates a position against.
Brackets indicate a more tentative position // 0 indicates an open position
1. Working Documents
1.1. Strategic and Administrative matters
>TABLE POSITION>
1.2 Interpretation and implementation of the Convention
1.2.1. Review of Resolutions and Decisions
>TABLE POSITION>
1.2.2. Regular and special reports
>TABLE POSITION>
1.2.3. General compliance issues
>TABLE POSITION>
1.2.4. Species trade and conservation issues
>TABLE POSITION>
1.2.5. Trade control and marking issues
>TABLE POSITION>
1.2.6. Exemptions and special trade provisions
>TABLE POSITION>
1.2.7. Amendment of the appendices
>TABLE POSITION>
1.2.8. Other themes and issues
>TABLE POSITION>
2. Listing Proposals
>TABLE POSITION>
*as Depositary Government at the request of the relevant Committee