The official opinion on the collecting from nature and trade in protected species 

Certain species of wild flora and fauna, their developmental forms and parts may be collected and traded therein in the manner and under the conditions laid down in a permit issued by the Ministry of Environmental Protection, upon the obtained official opinion of the Institute for Nature Conservation of Serbia, or the Institute for Nature Conservation of Vojvodina Province, if the request for permit concerns the collection of wild species on the territory of Serbian Autonomous Province of Vojvodina. 

An act defining wild species of flora, fauna and fungi, the collection of which from their natural habitats, use and trade therein is put under control so as not to endanger the favorable state of their populations, is the Decree on the Control of Use and Trade in Wild Flora and Fauna. The Decree was enacted in accordance with the Law on Environmental Protection, and it was also harmonized with the Law on Nature Conservation and the Rulebook on the Proclamation and Protection of Strictly Protected and Protected Wild Species of Plants, Animals and Fungi. 

In accordance with the procedure, legal entities, i.e. entrepreneurs, submit to the Ministry of Environmental Protection a request for obtaining a permit for the collection from nature the protected species of wild flora, fauna and fungi listed in the Decree on the Control of Use and Trade in Wild Flora and Fauna. At the meeting of the Commission for the competition process of issuing permits for collecting the protected species of wild flora, fauna and fungi, the correctness of the submitted requests is checked and whether the quantities requested are in accordance with the contingents determined for each individual species and for the current year. 

Thereafter, the Ministry shall forward to the Institute the entire documentation, requesting an official opinion. Upon obtaining an opinion for the collection of wild flora, fauna and fungi for commercial purposes in accordance with legal regulations, which also contains data on protected areas where collection is permitted, restricted or prohibited, the Ministry shall issue a permit in the form of a Decision. 

In the request for obtaining the Institute’s opinion, it is necessary to state the following: 

The name and address of the applicant with the name of the responsible person, a unique identification number and contact telephone. Scientific and traditional folks names of protected wild species and quantities foreseen for collecting fresh or raw (unprocessed) specimen. The way collecting is organized i.e. sites (by districts, municipalities and nearest settlements), addresses of collection points/centers and responsible persons with contact telephones for given collection points/centers. Data on facilities, plants and devices for storage, processing and transport. The degree of processing of the collected specimens of protected wild species. All other necessary documentation (Business Registers Agency list, proof of payment of the administrative fee, certificate of the Commercial Court and certificate of the Misdemeanor Court). 

The official opinion of the Institute regarding the collection of wild flora, fauna and fungi for commercial purposes is free of charge. 

Since the Institute keeps records on the manner and extent of the use of protected wild species for the purpose of determining and monitoring the state of their populations, the legal entity is obliged to submit to the Ministry and the Institute a report on the quantities and sites of the protected wild plant and animal species that have been collected, used and placed on the market, no later than January 31st of the current year regarding the reporting on the previous year, by filling in the form on collection and trade in protected species, which is provided for each species and each collection point/center (OZV form). 

It should be noted that the right to collect is acquired only by legal entities or entrepreneurs who, upon submission of a request for a permit to collect protected wild species, fulfill the prescribed conditions of the Competition for the Collection of Commercial Wild Species. This document shall be published by the Ministry of Environmental Protection no later than March 1st of the current year. In addition, a legal entity engaged in the trade of wild flora and fauna species is obliged to pay to the Ministry a fee for the use of natural resources in the amount of 10% of the market price of wild species, which is determined on an annual basis.