Commission Regulation (EU) 2021/2280 of 16 December 2021 amending Council Regulation (EC) No 338/97 on the protection of species of wild fauna and flora by regulating trade therein and Commission Regulation (EC) No 865/2006 laying down detailed rules concerning the implementation of Council Regulation (EC) No 338/97

THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 338/97 of 9 December 1996 on the protection of species of wild fauna and flora by regulating trade therein (1), and in particular Article 19(3), (4) and (5) thereof,

Whereas:

(1) Regulation (EC) No 338/97 regulates trade in animal and plant species listed in the Annex to that Regulation. The species listed in that Annex include the species listed in the Appendices to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (‘the Convention’) as well as other species whose conservation status requires that trade from, into and within the Union be regulated or monitored.

(2) Levels of trade in certain species require monitoring in order to collect data and consider whether stricter protection might be necessary in the future. To this end, the Scientific Review Group, established pursuant to Article 17 of Regulation (EC) No 338/97, has during its regular meetings in 2019 and 2020 reviewed different species and concluded that the following taxa should be included in Annex D to that Regulation: Otocryptis wiegmanni, Platysaurus imperator, Tracheloptychus petersi, Zonosaurus maximus, Pseudocerastes spp. (except for the species listed in Annex B), and Atelopus spp. (except for the species listed in Annex A). The Scientific Review Group also concluded that the following species should be included in Annex D, with an annotation delimiting which types of specimens are covered by the listing: Handroanthus spp., Tabebuia spp., Roseodendron spp., Aucoumea klaineana, Rhodiola spp., Boswellia spp., Millettia stuhlmannii, Pterocarpus macrocarpus, Entandrophragma cylindricum, Khaya spp., Okoubaka aubrevillei and Baillonella toxisperma.

(3) New annotations should be inserted in the Notes on interpretation of Annexes A, B, C and D. It is necessary to insert one annotation in paragraph 12 in relation to a new listing in Annex C, to reflect the listing in Appendix III by the range state. It is also necessary to insert two annotations in paragraph 17 in relation to tree species to be included in Annex D, in order to ensure that the specimens which occur in international trade are covered by the listing.

(4) In view of recent taxonomic changes agreed by the eighteenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention, held in Geneva, Switzerland, from 17 to 28 August 2019 (CoP 18), it is appropriate to replace the current listing of Homalopsis bucata in Annex D by the listing of the entire genus Homalopsis spp. It is necessary to change Prionailurus iriomotensis in Annex A to Prionailurus bengalensis euptilurus, and the listing of Agalychnis spp. in Annex B into a listing of Agalychnis annae, A. callidryas, A. moreletii, A. saltator and A. spurrelli. It is also necessary to change the listing of the family Pristidae so that it falls under the order Rhinopristiformes. The spelling of Pelophylax shqipericus in Annex D needs to be corrected and Lophura hatinhensis needs to be deleted from Annex B as it is treated as L. edwardsi.

(5) The footnote in the Annex to the Regulation related to Ovis collium, O. darwini, O. jubata, O. karelini, O. polii, and O. severtzovi which states ‘This taxon is referred to as Ovis ammon in Annex XIII to Commission Regulation (EC) No 865/2006’ should be removed, to bring it in line with Annex XIII to Commission Regulation (EC) No 865/2006 (2), as amended by Article 2(14) of the present Regulation. These amendments are a consequence of changes in the taxonomy of this group of species.

(6) The text of certain annotations in the Annex to Regulation (EC) No 338/97 should be amended to improve clarity (Canis lupus, Caracara lutosa, Ceratophora aspera, C. stoddartii, Lyriocephalus scutatus, Crotalus durissus, and Rheobatrachus spp.).

(7) Goniurosaurus spp. should be moved from the family Eublepharidae to the family Gekkonidae in order to bring the listing in line with the current standard nomenclature.

(8) The following species have been included in Appendix III to the Convention since 14 February 2021: Goniurosaurus kuroiwae, Goniurosaurus orientalis, Goniurosaurus sengokui, Goniurosaurus splendens, Goniurosaurus toyamai, Goniurosaurus yamashinae and Echinotriton andersoni (all with annotation) at the request of Japan, and Calotes ceylonensis, Calotes desilvai, Calotes liocephalus, Calotes liolepis, Calotes manamendrai, Calotes nigrilabris, Calotes pethiyagodai at the request of Sri Lanka. The following species have been included in Appendix III to the Convention since 22 June 2021: Lodoicea maldivica (with annotation) at the request of the Seychelles, and Alauda arvensis, Galerida cristata, Lullula arborea, Melanocorypha calandra, Emberiza citronella, Emberiza hortulana, Carduelis cannabina, Carduelis carduelis, Carduelis flammea, Carduelis hornemanni, Carduelis spinus, Carpodacus erythrinus, Loxia curvirostra, Pyrrhula pyrrhula, Serinus serinus, Erithacus rubecula, Ficedula parva, Hippolais icterina, Luscinia svecica, Luscinia luscinia, Luscinia megarhynchos, Monticola saxatilis, Sylvia atricapilla, Sylvia borin, Sylvia curruca, Sylvia nisoria, Turdus merula, Turdus philomelos, Oriolus oriolus, Parus ater, Troglodytes troglodytes and Emys orbicularis (only applicable to the population of Ukraine) at the request of Ukraine. These amendments to Appendix III should be reflected in Annex C to Regulation (EC) No 338/97.

(9) The Scientific Review Group has concluded at its regular meetings in 2020, and through several consultations in writing, that listing of the following species in Annex D to Regulation (EC) No 338/97 is no longer necessary, and these species should be deleted from that Annex: Dendrolagus dorianus, Dendrolagus goodfellowi, Dendrolagus matschiei, Dendrolagus pulcherrimus, Dendrolagus stellarum, Columba oenops, Didunculus strigirostris, Ducula pickeringii, Gallicolumba crinigera, Ptilinopus marchei, Turacoena modesta, Crax alector, Pauxi unicornis, Penelope pileata, Eulipoa wallacei, Arborophila gingica, Lophura bulweri, Lophura diardi, Lophura inornata, Bombycilla japonica, Cyanocorax caeruleus, Cyanocorax dickeyi, Procnias nudicollis, Dacnis nigripes, Sporophila falcirostris, Sporophila frontalis, Sporophila hypochroma, Sporophila palustris, Amandava amandava, Cryptospiza reichenovii, Erythrura coloria, Erythrura viridifacies, Estrilda quartinia (frequently traded as Estrilda melanotis), Hypargos niveoguttatus, Lonchura griseicapilla, Lonchura punctulata, Lonchura stygia, Carduelis ambigua, Carduelis atrata, Kozlowia roborowskii, Pyrrhula erythaca, Serinus canicollis, Serinus citrinelloides hypostictus (frequently traded as Serinus citrinelloides), Sturnella militaris, Cochoa azurea, Cochoa purpurea, Garrulax formosus, Garrulax galbanus, Garrulax milnei, Niltava davidi, Stachyris whiteheadi, Swynnertonia swynnertoni (also referenced as Pogonicichla swynnertoni), Turdus dissimilis, Pitta nipalensis, Pitta steerii, Sitta magna, Sitta yunnanensis, Lamprotornis regius, Mino dumontii, Sturnus erythropygius, Teratoscincus microlepis, Rhabdophis subminiatus, Calloselasma rhodostoma, Baronia brevicornis, Papilio grosesmithi, Papilio maraho, Calibanus hookeri, Biarum davisii ssp. marmarisense, Biarum ditschianum, Othonna cacalioides, Othonna hallii, Othonna lepidocaulis, Ceraria carrissoana, and Ceraria fruticulosa.

(10) On the basis of review by the Scientific Review Group, three subspecies should be added to the listing in Annex D to Regulation (EC) No 338/97 of Teratoscincus scincus.

(11) It is necessary to correct certain formatting errors in the Annex to Regulation (EC) No 338/97.

(12) In view of the extent of the amendments it is appropriate, for clarity purposes, to replace the Annex to Regulation (EC) No 338/97 in its entirety.

(13) Regulation (EC) No 338/97 should therefore be amended accordingly.

(14) The purpose of Regulation (EC) No 865/2006 is to implement Regulation (EC) No 338/97 and to ensure full compliance with the provisions of the Convention.

(15) CoP 18 adopted or amended Resolutions concerning, inter alia, the criteria to determine the purpose of a transaction, the list of standard references used for determining the names of species listed in the Appendices to the Convention, as well as introducing a new code to be used in permits and certificates. Therefore, in order to incorporate those CoP 18 agreements into Union law, it is necessary to amend certain provisions and to add further provisions to Commission Regulation (EC) No 865/2006.

(16) CoP 18 amended Resolution Conf. 12.3, on Permits and certificates, with regard to different purposes of transaction and the codes to be used in Convention documents for designating those purposes. Those amendments should be made in Regulation (EC) No 865/2006.

(17) CoP 18 further amended Resolution Conf. 12.3 by inserting a new code to be used to indicate the source of certain plant specimens which do not conform to any of the previously existing codes. That new source code should be included in Annex IX to Regulation (EC) No 865/2006.

(18) Resolution Conf. 12.3 was furthermore amended with regard to the validity of Convention documents for specimens of species that have been transferred to Appendix I of the Convention. That amendment should be reflected in Regulation (EC) No 865/2006.

(19) Annex IV to Resolution Conf. 12.3, on Types of biological samples and their use, was also amended, and those amendments should be reflected in Annex XI to Regulation (EC) No 865/2006.

(20) CoP 18 also amended Resolution Conf. 11.3, on Compliance and enforcement, inter alia with regard to the conditions under which export permits and re-export certificates issued by third countries are to be accepted. Those amendments should be reflected in Regulation (EC) No 865/2006.

(21) CoP 18 amended Resolution Conf. 12.11, on Standard nomenclature, and the new standard references for nomenclature should be reflected in Annex VIII to Regulation (EC) No 865/2006.

(22) Already at its seventeenth meeting held in Johannesburg, South Africa, from 24 September to 4 October 2016 (CoP 17), the Conference of the Parties to the Convention amended Resolution Conf. 11.17, on National reports, by replacing the previous biennial reports with implementation reports to be submitted every three years. This change should be reflected in Regulation (EC) No 865/2006.

(23) CoP 17 also amended Resolution Conf. 10.10, on Trade in elephant specimens, recommending that ‘all Parties […] in whose jurisdiction there is a legal domestic market for ivory that is contributing to poaching or illegal trade, take all necessary legislative, regulatory and enforcement measures to close their domestic markets for commercial trade in raw and worked ivory as a matter of urgency’.

(24) The information available at present shows that important quantities of old ivory items are present in the Union, mostly imported into EU Member States before elephant species were included in Appendix I to the Convention.

(25) To strengthen the fight against illegal ivory trade, and taking into account the principle of proportionality, the rules and enforcement efforts need to be reinforced proportionally to the risks identified with respect to the poaching of elephants and illegal trade in ivory.

(26) The general exemption granted in accordance with Article 8, paragraph 4, of Regulation (EC) No 338/97, which allows worked ivory specimens that were acquired more than 50 years previously as defined in Article 2(w) of Regulation (EC) No 338/97 to be traded without a certificate issued in accordance with Article 8, paragraph 3 of the same Regulation, should be removed for worked specimens containing elephant ivory. As a consequence, it will no longer be possible to market worked ivory without a certificate issued in accordance with Article 8, paragraph 3 of the same Regulation.

(27) In parallel, account should be taken of the fact that certificates referred to in Article 8, paragraph 3 of Regulation (EC) No 338/97 which concern elephant ivory specimens have been issued for almost 40 years (since entry into force of Regulation (EEC) No 3626/82) and that Union law does not require competent authorities to periodically renew them. As a consequence, it is not possible to have a complete overview of the certificates issued and, in some cases, due to administrative practice evolving over time, doubts may arise as to whether the certified material corresponds to the certificate issued. In order to better contribute to the continuous fight against illegal trade and to allow competent authorities of the Member States to strengthen the control of the trade in elephant ivory within the Union, it appears therefore necessary to set an expiry date to all these certificates. Taking into account the need for operators and authorities to adapt to these changes, the expiry date should be set after a transition period of 12 months after the entry into force of this Regulation.

(28) For a certain time after the removal of these exemptions becomes effective, the amendments are expected to lead to an increase in the number of applications for certificates which are newly required for commercial activities in elephant ivory specimens. The time period within which applications for such certificates are to be processed by Member States’ management authorities should therefore be extended during the first year after the entry into force of this Regulation.

(29) Regulation (EC) No 865/2006 should therefore be amended accordingly.

(30) The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Committee on Trade in Wild Fauna and Flora,

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:

Article 1

Amendment to Regulation (EC) No 338/97

The Annex to Regulation (EC) No 338/97 is replaced by the text in Annex 1 to this Regulation.

Article 2

Amendments to Regulation (EC) No 865/2006

Regulation (EC) No 865/2006 is amended as follows:

(2) the following Article 5c is inserted: ‘Article 5c Purpose of transaction

(3) in Article 7, the following paragraph 7 is added: ‘7.   Export permits and re-export certificates issued by third countries shall only be accepted if issued by the Management Authority officially designated as competent by the exporting or re-exporting Party.’;

(4) in Article 10, the following paragraph 2b is inserted: ‘2b.   When a species has been transferred to Appendix I to the Convention at a meeting of the Conference of the Parties, and the Union has not made a reservation on this transfer, the validity of any import or export permit or re-export certificate for specimens of that species shall not extend beyond the date of entry into force of the transfer to Appendix I.’;

(5) in Article 11, the following paragraph 4a is inserted: ‘4a.   Certificates as referred to in Article 48 which concern elephant ivory specimens and which were issued before 19 January 2022 shall cease to be valid on 19 January 2023.’;

(7) in Article 52, paragraph 1 is replaced by the following: ‘1.   The labels referred to in Article 2(6) of Implementing Regulation (EU) No 792/2012 shall be used only for the movement between duly registered scientists and scientific institutions of non-commercial loans, donations and exchanges of herbarium, diagnostic and forensic research specimens (as described in Annex XI to this Regulation), preserved, dried or embedded museum specimens and live plant material for scientific study.’;

(11) Annex VIII is replaced by the text in Annex 2 to this Regulation;

(13) Annex XI is replaced by the text in Annex 3 to this Regulation;

(14) In Annex XIII, the following species are inserted after Ovis ammon: O. collium, O. darwini, O. jubata, O. karelini, O. polii, O. severtzovi.

Article 3

Transitional provision concerning the time limit for issuance of certain certificates under Regulation (EC) No 338/97

By way of derogation from Article 8(3) of Regulation (EC) No 865/2006, the time limit for deciding on the issuance of certificates shall be three months as regards applications under Article 8(3) of Regulation (EC) No 338/97 concerning elephant ivory specimens which are submitted between 19 January 2022 and 19 January 2023.

Article 4

Entry into force

This Regulation shall enter into force on the twentieth day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.

This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.

Done at Brussels, 16 December 2021.

For the Commission The President Ursula VON DER LEYEN

(1) OJ L 61, 3.3.1997, p. 1.

(2) Commission Regulation (EC) No 865/2006 of 4 May 2006 laying down detailed rules concerning the implementation of Council Regulation (EC) No 338/97 on the protection of species of wild fauna and flora by regulating trade therein (OJ L 166, 19.6.2006, p. 1).