Official opinion on cross-border traffic and trade in specimens of protected and wild plant and animal species
In accordance with the Law on Confirmation of the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, the Law on Environmental Protection, the Law on Nature Conservation and the Rulebook on Transboundary Traffic and Trade in Protected Species, Serbian Ministry of Environmental Protection issues CITES permits and certificates. Cross-border traffic is carried out provided that the import or export is not prohibited, that the quantity or number of specimens of wild flora and fauna used in transboundary traffic would not endanger the survival of these specimen species, as well as in accordance with other conditions prescribed by law.
The Institute for Nature Conservation of Serbia is one of the authorized scientific and professional institutions issuing official expert opinions in the process of issuing permits and other acts (certificates, opinions, notices, etc.) regarding cross-border traffic (import, export, entry, or transit), trade and the cultivation of wild specimens, their parts and derivatives, which are protected according to the law and ratified international treaties, as well as the import of live specimens of non-protected allochthonous wild species.
In accordance with the procedure, a legal entity, an entrepreneur or a natural person shall submit to the Ministry of Environmental Protection, that is the CITES Convention Implementation Group, a request for a permit on cross-border traffic and trade in specimens of protected and wild plant and animal species. The request and accompanying instructions and documents are available on the Ministry's web site: http://www.ekologija.gov.rs/dozvole-obrasci/zastita-biodiverziteta/cites-dozvole-i-potvrde/
The Ministry shall electronically forward the request and accompanying documentation to the Institute in order to obtain expert opinion. For obtaining the opinion of the Institute it is necessary to state the following in the request form:
• Name, address and contact telephone.
• The scientific and traditional folks name of wild species and the number and origin of specimens.
• The purpose of using the specimens in question.
• In the case of export, information on the exporter and the country of export.
• Evidence that specimens of wild flora and fauna have been acquired in accordance with ratified international treaties and regulations on the protection of certain species in the country of export or re-export.
The issuing of Institute’s opinion regarding the transboundary traffic and trade in specimens of protected and wild species of plants and animals is free of charge.
When preparing the official expert opinion, the Institute shall determine whether import, export, re-export or entry would threaten the survival in nature of strictly protected, protected and other wild species, the ways to treat confiscated wildlife specimens, whether the conditions for holding in captivity live specimens of wild species are fulfilled, whether specimens have been bred in captivity or artificially propagated, whether specimens of wild species have been properly marked and whether there is evidence of the origin of wild species specimens. The Institute shall also provide expert assistance to the Ministry and other competent bodies in the taxonomical determination of wild species, and shall perform other tasks as well, which are related to the implementation of ratified international treaties.
The Rulebook on Transboundary Traffic and Trade in Protected Species defines that authorized scientific and professional institutions shall issue opinions in the process of issuing permits and other acts regarding the following matters:
- Import of specimens of protected species listed in Annex I to the Rulebook on Transboundary Traffic and Trade in Protected Species, provided that they have determined that:
• Introduction into the Republic of Serbia does not adversely affect the conservation status of these species or the size of the territory occupied by certain populations of these species.
• Introduction into the Republic of Serbia is necessary for:
a) the advancement of science and the carrying out of necessary biomedical research
b) breeding or reproduction for the purpose of species conservation
c) research and education for the purpose of species conservation
d) other needs that are not detrimental to the survival of the species
• Accommodation intended for living specimens at the destination is appropriately equipped for their proper keeping and care.
Import of protected species specimens listed in Annex II, provided that they have determined that:
• Introduction into the Republic of Serbia does not adversely affect the conservation status of the species or the size of the territory occupied by certain population of that species, taking into account the current or anticipated level of trade.
- Import of specimens of species listed in Annexes III and IV, VII and VIII, provided that they have determined that:
• Introduction into the Republic of Serbia does not adversely affect the conservation status of the species or the size of the territory occupied by certain population of that species in the country of origin, taking into account the current or anticipated level of trade.
• There is no danger for autochthonous species if there is an accidental or deliberate escape of specimens into the nature of the Republic of Serbia.
• Accommodation intended for live specimens at the destination is adequately equipped for their proper keeping and care.
- Export and re-export from the Republic of Serbia of protected species specimens listed in Annexes I, II, III, VII and VIII, whereby they have determined that the capture or collection of specimens from nature, or their export, would not have a detrimental effect on the conservation status of these species or on the size of the territory occupied by certain populations of these species.
- Import of live specimens of allochthonous wild species not given in Annexes I to IX to the Rulebook.
- Import of leather, leather products and other products originating from the specimens of the species listed in Annex IX to the Rulebook, which were caught by traditional Inuit hunting techniques or imported for non-commercial purposes.
- Movement of specimens of the species listed in Annex I to the Rulebook to other destinations where the accommodation is suitably equipped for their proper holding and care.
- Determination of the origin of wild animals born in captivity and of artificially propagated specimens of wild plant species.
- Treatment of permanently confiscated specimens of live animals on import or entry.
The Minister of Environment may prohibit or restrict the importation of certain wild allochthonous species on the basis of the opinion of an authorized scientific or professional institution, which is in accordance with legal provisions. This especially refers to the cases of imports posing a threat to autochthonous species, human health or safety, if the level of trade would endanger the survival in nature of certain wild species population, and if the death rate of certain wild species during transport is too high.
