CITES protects over 35,000 animals and plants, live or dead, as well as their parts and derivatives (skins, furs, feathers, scales, eggs, ivory, hunting trophies, wood, flowers, furniture, works of art, etc.).
These animals, plants and objects covered by the Convention are called spécimens.
Each Party to the Convention (a country that has signed CITES) designates a management authority that issues import and export permits for species included in CITES, on the advice of one or more scientific authorities. In Belgium, this task is carried out by the CITES Unit of the Service Biodiversity & Governance of the Directorate General Environment of the Federal Public Service Health, Food Chain Safety and Environment.
For certain species, there is a total ban on trade. This ban covers over 900 species. Other species may be marketed but under certain conditions. Permits or certificates are required in these cases.
The Federal Environmental Inspection controls the placing on the market of plants and animals under threat.
To request these documents, please access the Belgian CITES database, which gathers all of the forms and documents issued by the CITES Unit in Belgium.