This report provides a detailed discussion of the information submitted by the Member States of the European Union and candidate countries in their 2010 annual reports to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Fauna and Flora (CITES). Annual reports to CITES contain information on trade in species listed in the CITES Appendices and the Annexes of Council Regulation (EC) No 338/97 and subsequent updates. The analysis includes data from all 27 EU Member States and the three candidate countries (Croatia, Montenegro and Turkey) that had submitted their annual reports for 2010 at the time of writing (October 2012). Analysis of candidate country trade therefore does not include information on Iceland or FYR Macedonia.

All trade data submitted by EU Member States in their 2010 annual reports to CITES is available via the CITES Trade Database and also via the 2010 EU Annual Report to CITES, which is available to download here: EU Annual Report to CITES 2010.

Noteworthy patterns of trade

CITES trade data for 2010, as reported by EU Member States and candidate countries, were analysed to identify taxa showing noteworthy patterns of trade. The selection process included imports reported as wild-sourced, ranched or source ‘unknown’, or reported without a source specified. Imports were considered noteworthy according to four criteria:

• High volume of imports in 2010;
• Sharp increase in imports in 2010;
• Overall increases or decreases in imports between 2001 and 2010;
• Long-term variability in imports between 2001 and 2010.

In total, 77 taxa were selected on the basis of a high volume of trade and/or a sharp or overall increase in trade reported by EU Member States. Four taxa met the criteria for selection on the basis of a high volume of trade or sharp increase in trade reported by candidate countries, including one Annex A species and three Annex B species.

Species valuation

To determine the monetary value of EU imports of CITES-listed species in 2010, a preliminary methodology was developed by UNEP-WCMC using EU-reported import volumes and species-specific value data (submitted to United States Customs and included within the United States annual report to CITES).

The vast majority of this value (USD3.1 billion) represented trade in caviar extract. The value of the remainder of imports was estimated at over USD403 million (~EUR329 million) and comprised leather products (49%), skins (35%), live animals (5%) and caviar (4%), amongst others. A significant proportion of the overall value of the trade to the EU therefore appears to be in high value, luxury goods.

Exports and re-exports

In 2010, the EU and candidate countries exported captive-bred and artificially propagated specimens of many species, in addition to a small number of wild-collected native species.

Exports of wild-collected CITES-listed species native to the EU were mainly reported for scientific and commercial/hunting trophy purposes, with CITES Appendix 1/ Annex A species exported for zoos, scientific, educational or re-introduction purposes.

Both the EU and candidate countries act as entrepôts for non-manufactured parts; some products and live specimens imported from producer nations, as well as products originating within the EU and candidate countries are  (re-) exported at high volumes. Much of the high volume trade was in (re-)exports of non-native species. Mammals, invertebrates and plants were traded under a variety of terms, whereas high volume trade in birds was predominantly in live animals, reptiles were mainly traded as skins pieces and trade in fish was primarily in the form of live eggs.

Trade in non-CITES species

EU imports of non-CITES taxa listed in the EU Annexes in 2010 principally comprised Annex D reptile skins and skin products, dried plants and plant derivatives, the majority of which were reported without a source. Trade was principally for commercial purposes or reported without a purpose. The primary species in trade were the same as in 2009.

The EU reported imports of six non-CITES Annex A and B species in 2010, the majority of transactions comprising live Trachemys scripta elegans (primarily source ‘F’).

(Re-)exports of non-CITES taxa listed in the EU Annexes in 2010 principally consisted of live, captive-bred Columba livia traded for commercial purposes.

Possible transgressions

The EU reported 27 import transactions in potential transgression of Commission Regulations (EC) No 359/2009 and 997/2010, involving 14 taxa. Fifty-two EU-reported transactions involving 11 taxa were in potential transgression of SRG negative opinions. Possible transgressions of EU Regulations and SRG negative opinions as reported by trading partners are also included.

It is important to note, however, that some of the transactions listed may not actually be transgressions, as some suspensions and negative opinions were only in place for part of the year and, if the permit date was not available, it was not possible to assess whether or not the trade occurred in the relevant period; permits may have been issued prior to the suspension or negative opinion, even if the actual trade took place within the period of the opinion or suspension; and in some cases, either the EU Member States themselves or the exporting country did not report these transactions, so the trade may not have actually occurred.

Imports by candidate countries were also analysed based on current EU Regulations. Candidate countries imported nine species that are currently subject to EU suspension Regulations and 10 species that were subject to SRG negative opinions (as of March 2011).