BRIEF OVERVIEW OF CITES IMPLEMENTATION IN SERBIA
Milivoje Krvavac
Institute for Nature Conservation of Serbia
Zlata Pavlovic
Provincial Secretariat for Environmental Protection
(CITES focal point)
Group for CITES implementation
Ministry of Agriculture and Environmental Protection
•Republic of Serbia
•Population (2011):
9.024.734
•Teritory: 88,361 km2
•GDP per capita: 10,830 USD
• CITES ratification: 2001
•CITES MA : Ministry of
Agriculture and
Environmental Protection
NATIONAL CITES AUTHORITIES IN
SERBIA
•
•
•
Management Authority: Ministry of Agriculture and
Environment Protection – Group for CITES
implementation (currently only 2 people employed)
Scientific Authorities : ZZPS, PZZP, Biol. Fakultet,
Prirodnjački muzej, IBIS
Enfrocement authorities (with direct or indirect CITES
enforcement competences): Republic and Provintial
Environmental Inspectorate, Customs, Border Police,
Criminal Investigation Police, Border Veterinary and
Phytosanitary Inspection
Harmonization of national
legislation with respect to
wildlife trade – Serbia on
the road to EU
The control regime with respect to transboundary movement and trade in
protected species in Serbia is more strict than that prescribed by the
CITES Convention.
In line with the EU Wildlife Trade Regulations, Serbia has harmonized most
of its national legislation with the EU WTR provisions and species lists,
including establishing internal possession and trade control.
Even though the national legislation has in large part been harmonized,
certain parts of the national legislation need revision (especially regarding
sanctioning offences and regulating the zero year for specimen
possession.
Illegal trade with protected species,
their parts and derivatives is
among the top 5 illegal activities on
the global level with respect to
illegal revenue, right after illegal
trade in narcotics and weapons
Any Law, as well as an international
agreement, is worth only as much
as it’s practical implementation
Articles from Criminal Code used in
sanctioning wildlife crime
Art. 243 – Illegal trade
Art. 265 – Destruction, damage, import/export
of protected species
Art. 269- Killing and torturing animals
Art. 276 – Illegal hunting
Art. 346- Organizing for the purpose of
committing criminal activities
CITES in Serbia : Internal cooperation
Courts:
(Administrative,Criminal
Apeals)
Prosecutors
Border and
Criminal Police
NCB
INTERPOL
in Serbia
CITES Scientific
Autorities
Environmental
Inspectors
Group for CITES
implementation
Customs
Border Vet and Phyto
Inspection
ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS
RESCUE CENTERS
International cooperation
•Serbian CITES focal point has been
participating in the EU Enforcement Group
meetings from late 2011
•Serbian CITES MA and enforcement have
EUTWIX access, as wellas CIRCA ABC
(CITES fp)
September 2010. "Nikola
Tesla" airport, Belgrade
Smuggling 22 specimens
of toucans and aracari
from UAE.
2010
June 2012. 126 specimens CITES II.
Presevo, border with Kosovo province.
Testudo graeca
Testudo marginata
2012
December 2012. 1327 specimens of Emys orbicularis.
Non CITES but strictly protected in Serbia - smuggler escaped
April 2012. shipment of 50 specimens of herpetofauna in personal suitcase...CITES and
non CITES species - 11 poisonus.
2012
October 2012. border with Hungary. 6
Makak (Macaca sylvanus) monkey.
Private car.
November 2012. Nikola Tesla Airport
2 specimens of Panthera pardus. CITES I
• November 2012, Belgrade. 28 snake species (all poisonous - 25 deadly)
2012
Hungarian border, 30.06.2012 – 250
parots (CITES II i non-CITES),
•
Belgrade,
28.06.2012 – 2
parrots Amazona
leucocephala
(CITES I)
2013
Hungarian border:
Horgoš,
12.07.2012 –
Ara hybrid (CITES
II), Nemačku
without CITES
allowance
•
Hungarian
border:
Horgoš,
11.08.2012 – 11
parrots juvenile
(CITES II)
hidden in bags.
Bački Petrovac 06.03.2014:
Primolius maraca (CITES I)
Carina: Beograd 20.03.2014: Phyton
skin bag (CITES II )
2014
24.03.2014 Three brown bear
juveniles (CITES II )
Challenges for sucessful CITES
implementation in Serbia
• Small number of cases of smuggling is
discovered: success depends largely on the
level of awareness, training and alertness
of the enforcement officers
• Sanctions are often not sufficiently stringent
to deter illegal widlife trade and smuggling
attempts as judges (and often prosecutors)
are not aware enough of the adverse effects
of these illegal activities
• Certain legislative gaps with regards to
sanctions further impede adequate
sanctioning and CITES enforcement
• Processes with illegal wildlife trade
sanctioning take too long, which is a
problem especially with live specimens
• Seizing and confiscating live animals
presents a special challange from both
financial and infrastructural aspects
• Serious understaffing – for both
administrative and enforcement presents a
huge problem, as well as providing adequate
state funding for CITES implementation
Project: SR/2012/IB/EN/01TWL
CITES Enforcement trainings
7 workshops for border control
officers (covering all borders)
2 workshops for judges and
proescutors
1 training for trainers
1 workshop for internal controls
1 workshop for live animal
confiscations
1 study visit
Project developed by: SERBIAN CITES MA
Project financed by: EU (~250,000 EUR)
Project duration: 6 months
More than 500 different people trained in CITES
Customs, Border police, Criminal Investigation Police,
Env. Inspectors, Prosecutors, Judges, Vets, Zoos
Serbian CITES MA conducts trainings in cooperation with
national and foreign experts with many years of CITES
theoretical and practical experience
Thank you for your attention!
Group for CITES implementation
office@cites.gov.rs
+381-11-7155-219