CITES
The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES)
The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) is a global treaty to ensure international trade in wild plants and animals is legal, traceable, and biologically sustainable.
What We Do
The United States is one of 185 Parties, which includes 184 member countries and the European Union, that has agreed to implement the treaty to help control global over-exploitation of wildlife and the conservation of species.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s International Affairs program coordinates domestic and international efforts to protect, restore, and enhance the world’s diverse wildlife and their habitats with a focus on foreign and domestic species of international concern. We envision a world where all people value nature and conserve living resources for the well-being of life on Earth.
Under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), the International Affairs program carries out the provisions of CITES through its Division of Management Authority and Division of Scientific Authority.
About Cites
International wildlife trade is a billion-dollar industry involving hundreds of millions of live plants and animals, as well as their products. Sustainable, legal use of wild animals and plants is better for both domestic and global economies than unchecked illegal trade, which can drive species and associated markets to extinction.
As issues of wildlife use grow ever more complex, CITES provides tools to effectively conserve the world’s diverse natural resources, and a framework for cooperation and collaboration to regulate and sustain trade while ensuring it does not threaten species' survival in the wild.
CoP Meetings
Meetings of the Conference of the Parties (CoP) are held approximately every two to three years to provide an opportunity for the Parties to discuss and formally amend CITES Appendices and negotiate changes regarding implementation and enforcement of the treaty.