1. CITES implementation in the Latvia.
Gunta Gabrāne
Ilona Vilne
CITES MA Latvia

2. CITES history in Latvia
Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora law in force since
Cabinet of Ministers Regulation No.133 ''An order by which the international trade of endangered species of wild fauna and flora is secured'' (adopted on 6 April 1999 and in force from 9 April 1999)
EU Wildlife trade regulations are directly applicable starting from 2004.

3. CITES history in Latvia
CITES MA
From Ministry of Environment
(Mr. Vilnis Bernards)
Since – Nature Conservation Agency (Nature Protection Board)
CITES SA
Since University of Latvia Faculty of Biology
Since University of Latvia Institute of Biology
Since Natural History Museum of Latvia

4. CITES Institutions Inland control:
Till State Environmental Service and Police;
Since July of 2010 – Nature Conservation Agency and Police
Border control:
State Revenue service - Custom officials

5. Nature Conservation Agency and CITES
Nature Surveilance and Education Department - CITES issues (2 officials)
The main functions:
To fulfil functions of Management Authority of Convention on International Trade in Endangered species of wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) including issuing of CITES permits, public avareness campaigns and consulatation
To control internal trade
To cooperate with and to organise training semminars for customs, police and environmental inspectors
To work with regulations developement
To issue (and cancel) permits for reintroduction (non-game species) in to wild life of Latvia
To issue (and cancel) permits for obtaining of non-game species
To issue permits for CITES animal keeping
The zoo licensing and supervising
To consult work of state environmental inspectors in the regional administrations on different issues (permits, nature surveilance, complicate cases etc.) and review of decissions of state environmental inspectors.
Educational work

6. National CITES legislation I
Latvia implements CITES by EU regulations and national legislation. There are several legislative acts related to CITES provisions that are stricter than EU obligations.
The Cabinet of Ministers Regulations No.1139 “Order on Storage, Registration, Keeping in Captivity, Labeling and Trade of the Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora by International Trade and Order on Issuing Certificates”
Regulations prescribe
order on storage, registration, keeping in captivity, labeling and trade of the endangered species of wild fauna and flora by international trade and order on issuing certificates;
order on licensing caviar processing and (re-)packaging plants;
order on licensing breeders of Annex A animals and plants of Council Regulation (EK) Nr.338/97.
Regulation states what can be the document that proves the origin (lawful acquisition) of each animal. The scientific name of animal must be shown on a document that proves the origin (lawful acquisition) of each animal.

7. National CITES legislation II
The Cabinet of Ministers Regulations No.133 “On Order by which the International Trade of Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora is Secured”
Article 2 and 3 states MA and SA and their duties
Article 13: If there is fixed the violence of regulation in respect to endangered fauna and flora species, as well as confiscation of endangered wild species is done, competent institutions immediately inform Management Authority.
Article 14: Management Authority takes the decision about confiscated specimen use.
Article 15 and 16 states where to keep live confiscated or seized specimens
The Cabinet of Ministers Regulations No.1019 “On Amount of State Tax of Permits and Certificates defined by Washington Convention of 1973 on International Trade with Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, Terms of Payment and Payment Facilities”
Amount of state taxa for permit issuing: code - P, H, L, Z – no taxa, code T – ,38 Eur, code Q – 8,54 Eur; other purposes – 4,27 Eur.
The Cabinet of Ministers Regulations No.260 “On Amount of State Tax of Registration of the Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora by International Trade”
State taxa for registration of one specimen – 9,96 Eur

8. National CITES legislation III
Animal Protection Law
Article 31: It is prohibited to buy, keep in captivity, hold or dispose for sale or exchange, as well as offered for sale such animals:
wild species of Order Carnivore;
animals of order Primates;
marine mammals;
animals of order Crocodilia;
snakes;
These animals can be kept in captivity only in zoos and registered places for wild animal keeping.
Article 24.3.: It is prohibited to carry out experiments with animals listed on Appendixes of CITES or EC No.338/97, except situations when purpose of the experiment is conservation of respective species or there are no other species that can be used for concrete experiment of biomedicine
Article 33: Wild animal owners shall be required to have a document, as set out in regulatory enactments, regarding the origin (lawful acquisition) of each animal

9. National CITES legislation IV
Law on the Conservation of Species and Habitats
Article 21: Specimen (Individual) shall mean any live animal, as well as dead animal, plant, lichen, or the part of it, as well as derivate which appear from an accompanying document, the packaging or a mark or label indicating that it contains a plant, lichen, or dead animal parts.
Law regulates the issues connected with endangered species, habitats, and international trade of endangered specimens of wild fauna and flora. Tis Law is main base for CITES related rules.
Hunting Law
Article 11.: Non-game wild animals may be obtained, hunted or kept in captivity, if for each time a permit has been received from the Nature Conservation Agency.
Environmental protection Law
The law states the rights and duties of state environmental inspector

10. National CITES legislation V
The Cabinet of Ministers Regulations No.507 “Statutes of Nature Conservation Agency”
Nature Conservation Agency has the function to carry out Management Authority functions in accordance with the legislation of international trade on endangered species of wild fauna and flora. Nature Conservation Agency controls trade of endangered specimens of wild fauna and flora.
Latvian Administrative Violation Code:
CITES violations – for individuals - from EUR , with confiscation, for legal persons – from EUR , with confiscation
Custom violations – individuals – from EUR 70 up to EUR 350 with confiscation, for legal persons from EUR 700 up to EUR 7000, with the confiscation
Criminal Law
Violating of CITES - deprivation of liberty for a term not exceeding two years or detention, or community service, or a fine not exceeding one hundred times the minimum monthly wage.

11. CITES and Latvia – future challenges V
EU is one of the largest and most diverse markets for wildlife products.
Latvian challenges:
Latvia - eastern border of EU;
free movement of goods between EU member states;
different national legislation and provisions.
Although EU member states implement CITES by wildlife trade regulations, there can be differences how each country interpret these regulations.
Many member states – many views and problems, but simultaneously larger experience and more ways how to solve problems.
EU member state national problems are not problems of Latvia and vice versa.

12. Customs control
In June 2013 at Russian – Latvian border 22 skins were from Lynx lynx (II A). Since the importer could not present CITES permits all skins of Lynx lynx were confiscated.

13. Customs control
In Augusts 2013 at Belarusian – Latvian border cargo with cosmetic products (3419 units) that according to accompanying documents contained black caviar extract

14. Internal control More frequenty seasures – snakes
2012 – 4 live snakes (2 cour cases)
2013 – 2 live snakes , 2 bear skins

15. Thank you for your attention